House of Saxe-Meiningen

The House of Saxe-Meiningen and Hildburghausen, normally shortened to just the House of Saxe-Meiningen, is a royal house founded by in 1680 by Bernhard I, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen who recivied Meiningen following the partition of the Duchy of Saxe-Gotha amongst the sons of Ernst I, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg. The duchy of Hildburghausen was added to its territory in 1826. It is one of the Ernestine branches of the House of Wettin.

The House of Saxe-Meiningen provided eleven reigning dukes of Saxe-Meiningen (from 1826 Saxe-Meiningen and Hildburghausen) until the abolition of the monarchy in 1918, Bernhard I (1680–1706), Ernst Ludwig I (1706–24), Ernst Ludwig II (1724–29),Karl Friedrich (1729–43), Friedrich Wilhelm (1743–46), Anton Ulrich (1746–63), Georg I (1782–1803), Bernhard II (1803–66), Georg II (1866–1914) and Bernhard III (1914–18). Another notable member of the family was Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen, the queen consort of King William IV of the United Kingdom.

The heads of the house since 1918 have been Bernhard III (1918-1928), Prince Ernst (1928-1941) Duke Georg (1941-1946), Duke Bernhard (1946-1984) and Duke Konrad (since 1984).