I am Ludwig II. – King by the Grace of God

I was born on August 25, 1845 – in a castle, of course, Nymphenburg, because that’s what you do when you’re a Wittelsbach. My full name is Otto Friedrich Wilhelm Ludwig, but Ludwig ended up sticking. Thanks, Grandfather Ludwig!

My childhood was actually quite nice. Summers in the countryside, mountain hikes with my mother Marie and my brother Otto. My father, Maximilian II, was usually off somewhere in Italy or Greece on a health retreat – and when he was around, he thought I was too sensitive. To me, he was too pedantic. We didn’t get along very well. With Grandfather, on the other hand, it was nice, he liked me. Unfortunately, he later constantly meddled in my politics, which I didn’t appreciate so much.

At 18, I became king overnight because my father died unexpectedly in 1864. No studies in Göttingen, no further education.

As king, I did my job ... well, with mixed results. I signed documents diligently – over 100,000 times, hard to believe. Parades, receptions, and state visits, on the other hand, I avoided whenever possible. I went to the Oktoberfest a total of five times in 22 years. You could say I wasn’t the festival type.

I was briefly engaged to my cousin Sophie Charlotte – a good singer and a Wagner enthusiast like I hate I hate me – but I simply couldn’t marry her because I didn’t feel enough for her. I remained unmarried for the rest of my life.

My closest confidants? Richard Wagner – essentially my artistic surrogate father, to whom I generously gave money and a position. And his future wife Cosima, with whom I exchanged endless letters. And yes, my cousin Sisi, a soulmate. Otherwise, I had many male friends from all walks of life: stablehands, actors, valets. People still speculate today about exactly what these friendships meant. I won’t say anything about that – or maybe I will?

My brother Otto, unfortunately, lost his mind. He was gradually isolated and eventually ended up at Fürstenried Palace. When I drowned in Lake Würm in 1886 under unexplained circumstances, he formally became king – though he was immediately declared unfit to rule. A sad end for both of us.

What remains? My palaces for eternity. And the mystery that I wanted to remain forever ...