By birth, member of an ancient House of Stolberg, Henry was born as the eldest son of Count Christian Frederick of Stolberg-Wernigerode (1746–1824) and his wife, Countess Auguste Eleonore of Stolberg-Stolberg (1748–1821).

Henrich zu Stolberg-Wernigerode was educated by private tutors and studied until 1790 (with an interruption in 1789 by the turmoil of revolution) in Strasbourg.

After his attempts to prevent the mediatization of his house as part of Reichsdeputationshauptschluss had failed, he sided with Napoléon Bonaparte, and became Oberstallmeister in the Kingdom of Westphalia.

As a nobleman, he was a hereditary member of the First Chamber of the States General in the Kingdom of Hanover and also in the Grand Duchy of Hesse.

August 1809), daughter of Prince Otto Karl Friedrich of Schönburg-Waldenburg (1758-1800) and his wife, Countess Henriette Eleonore Elisabeth Reuss of Köstritz (1755-1829).