Carl Ludwig II was born at Langenburg, then in the Kingdom of Württemberg, as the first child of Ernst I, Prince of Hohenlohe-Langenburg (1794–1860; son of Karl Ludwig, Prince of Hohenlohe-Langenburg and Countess Amalie Henriette of Solms-Baruth) and his wife, Princess Feodora of Leiningen (1807–1872), daughter of Emich Carl, 2nd Prince of Leiningen and Princess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld.
After living in Dresden and Gotha for educational purposes, he studied three semesters of law at the Friedrich Wilhelm University in Berlin (1850–51).
He then spent several years in Langenburg to prepare for his upcoming role as a nobleman.
[1] He renounced the title on 21 April 1860 in favour of his younger brother Hermann, after he intended to marry unequally.
[1] His wife, unable to share his title, was created Baroness von Bronn in the nobility of Württemberg, the title being made heritable for all their children and legitimate male-line descendants.