‘Fake' royal prince exposed by The Sun also arranged ‘loveless' marriage of convenience to wealthy steel heiress
A 'FAKE' royal prince exposed by The Sun also arranged a 'loveless' marriage of convenience to a wealthy steel heiress.
His Serene Highness Dr Donatus — who used a loophole in German law to pay to be adopted by a minor royal — wed Dr Viola Hallman.
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She lived with the music teacher as Princess of Hohenzollern in a medieval castle in Haelen, the Netherlands.
Locals and former household staff in the small town say Viola, who also owned Killochan Castle in Scotland, was obsessed with becoming a princess.
A former housekeeper said: 'There was no intimacy. He married her for the money and she got to become a princess.'
Viola, who was much older than Donatus, even bought a bulletproof Mercedes S-Guard, an armoured executive car typically used by heads of state or royalty.
Donatus — who has met King Charles in his role — says he gave his inheritance to his wife's daughter when she died of cancer in 2012.
Meanwhile, the genuine Prince of Hohenzollern, Karl Friedrich, says Donatus — real name Markus Hänsel — is an imposter.
He said his aunt Katharina Feodora, Princess of Hohenzollern, accepted money to legally adopt Donatus in around 2003.
The German prince told The Sun: 'It makes me angry and frustrated, it leaves a very bitter taste in my mouth.
'Donatus is not my blood, he is not a member of the German royal family, he is simply a non-royal name bearer.
'He certainly cannot use the moniker of Serene Highness.'
Donatus told The Sun: 'I made my wife very happy over seven years of our marriage, which were very good years, until her sudden death.
'We lived on our estates in several countries. However, if you have staff in your household, you don't need enemies anymore: They are helpless in their hate of whom they serve and kick back in creative ways, compensating their own weak social standing."
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