Christian was born in Rastede, Lower Saxony, the only son of Duke Anton-Günther of Oldenburg and his wife Princess Ameli of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Freudenberg (b.
[1] Christian is a great-grandson of the last Grand Duke of Oldenburg to reign, Frederick Augustus II and through his mother he is related to the Princes of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Freudenberg, who belong to a morganatic branch of the House of Wittelsbach descending from Frederick I, Elector Palatine.
According to his father's obituary issued by the family his ancestral titles (however not all part of his official German surname) are: HRH The Duke of Oldenburg, Heir in Norway, Duke of Schleswig, Holstein, Stormarn, Dithmarschen and Oldenburg, Prince of Lübeck and Birkenfeld, Lord of Jever and Knyphausen.
Eutin Castle in Schleswig-Holstein is a museum owned by a family foundation set up by his father.
1962), daughter of Count Christian Karl zu Rantzau (1924-2002) and his wife Heloise von Lettow-Vorbeck (b.