German Prince Ernst August sues son for selling family castle worth millions to government for Rs 87.98

A German prince has decided to sue his 'ungrateful' son for selling the family's castle to the government for one euro. Prince Ernst August, head of the House of Hanover and a distant cousin of the Queen, has accused his son 'going behind his back' and selling the castle to the government.

Prince Ernst August, 66, transferred Marienburg castle and Calenburg estate to his son Ernst August in the mid-2000s.

The prince has also accused his son of improperly appropriating antiques and artworks owned by the family. 

It is to be noted that the castle was very old and it required major renovations estimated at more than GBP 23 million. The castle had been costing a fortune to keep open to 200,000 visitors each year.  

According to the court statement, August approached the court at the end of last year seeking to revoke the gifts of Marienburg Castle, the Calenburg manor house and a royal property in Herrenhausen.

The plaintiff lives in Austria and according to him the total value of the disputed properties and items are around EUR 5 million.

Meanwhile, Ernst August junior, 37, told German news agency DPA that the case lacks merit, saying all the arguments raised "have already been invalidated out-of-court in the past".

"There's nothing that stands in the way of the long-term preservation of Marienburg as a central cultural monument of Lower Saxony, open to all," he said.