Prince Friedrich Wilhelm grew up with his two sisters at Lindenau, where he received his first education at home.[2] In 1798, Wilhelm's father retired from his Prussian military service in Königsberg and settled in Leipzig to study for a few years.[3] At the same time, the thirteen year old Prince Friedrich Wilhelm was sent to the Knight academy in Brandenburg an der Havel where he received his education from 1798 to 1802, after which he studied at the University of Leipzig from 1803 under the supervision of the father.[6]
Although Friedrich Wilhelm's ancestors had been in Prussian service, the father was no longer on good terms with the Prussian king due to some unfortunate dispositions, and therefore wanted to find career opportunities for his son elsewhere.[3] In 1804, his father sent him to the family's original home in Denmark-Norway. Already in 1803, the boy's godfather, Crown Prince Frederick, had appointed him rittmeisterà la suite in the Royal Horse Guards and the following year he moved to Copenhagen where he was housed in the Royal Horse Guards Barracks by Frederiksholms Kanal in central Copenhagen.[7]
Military career
Subsequently, he made a career as an officer of the Danish army during the Napoleonic Wars. After just one year in Copenhagen, Friedrich Wilhelm was, at his own request, transferred to the Duchy of Holstein, where the Danish army maintained guard duty along the Danish monarchy's southern border. From 1805 to 1807, he served there as second rittmeiser in the Life Regiment Dragoons, where he took part in guarding the border and several times had the opportunity to demonstrate good military skills, especially in reconnaissance.[8]
German: Friedrich Wilhelm Paul Leopold; Danish: Frederik Vilhelm Paul Leopold. In Germany he is usually known under the names Friedrich Wilhelm, whereas in Denmark he is usually just known under the name Vilhelm.[2][1]
von Leers, Walter (1913). "778. Prinz von Holstein-Beck-Glücksburg, Friedrich Wilhelm Paul Leopold". Die Zöglinge der Ritterakademie zu Brandenburg a. H. 1705 – 1913[The pupils of the Knight Academy in Brandenburg a. H. 1705 – 1913] (in German). Vol.I. Belzig, Ludwigslust: Verein der ehemaligen Zöglinge der Ritterakademie zu Brandenburg a. H. p.152.
Bille-Hansen, A. C.; Holck, Harald, eds. (1829) [1st pub.:1801]. Kongelig Dansk Hof- og Stats-Calender for Aaret 1829[Court and State Calendar of the Kingdom of Denmark for the Year 1829](PDF). Kongelig Dansk Hof- og Statskalender (in Danish). Copenhagen: J.H. Schultz A.-S. Universitetsbogtrykkeri. p.5, 8, 51. Retrieved 16 September 2019– via da:DIS Danmark.
Bibliography
Bramsen, Bo (1992). Huset Glücksborg. Europas svigerfader og hans efterslægt[The House of Glücksburg. The Father-in-law of Europe and his descendants] (in Danish) (2nded.). Copenhagen: Forlaget Forum. ISBN87-553-1843-6.
Rockstroh, K.C. (1943). "Vilhelm"(PDF). In Engelstoft, Povl; Dahl, Svend (eds.). Dansk Biografisk Leksikon. Vol.25 (2.ed.). Copenhagen: J.H. Schultz Forlag. pp.586–589.
Lohmeier, Dieter (1987). "Friedrich Wilhelm Paul Leopold"(PDF). In Schleswig-Holsteinische Landesbibliothek (ed.). Biographisches Lexikon für Schleswig-Holstein und Lübeck (in German). Vol.8. Neumünster: Wachholtz Verlag. ISBN3-529-02648-4.