[1] Duke Paul Frederick was born in Ludwigslust Castle as the second eldest son of Frederick Francis II, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and his first wife Princess Augusta Reuss of Köstritz, the daughter of Prince Henry LXIII Reuss of Köstritz.

[2] The couple who had five children who were all raised Roman Catholic, the religion of Princess Marie,[3] lived a quiet life in Venice.

[2][5] In 1887, Duke Paul Fredrick raised a Lutheran decided to convert to Roman Catholicism the religion of his wife and children.

[6] In 1906 after upsetting his nephew Frederick Francis IV, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, over the amount of money that he was spending Duke Paul Frederick and his wife were ordered to submit to the controller of the royal household.

[7] Duke Paul Frederick died in Ludwigslust, where he and his wife are both buried in the Louisenkapelle.