Wedel inherited from his predecessor a province troubled by conflict between French and German nationalists and the question of its place in the empire, though his open-minded disposition did much to ingratiate himself towards the Alsatians.

Wedel was forced to resign following the Zabern Affair, the incident severely damaging relations between Alsace–Lorraine and the rest of the German states, as well as tarnishing the reputation of the Kaiser and, by extension, Prussian militarism.

[3] He continued to carry out his diplomatic duties until Germany's defeat in the First World War and the November Revolution, after which he retired with his wife to Stora Sundby Castle in Sweden, where he died the following year.

Born into the ancient Holsteinian noble House of Wedel, he was the youngest child and son of Count Friedrich Wilhelm von Wedel [de] (1798–1872), a lieutenant general in the Oldenburg army who was head of the Department of Military Affairs and chief of staff to Grand Duke Peter II, and his wife Baroness Wilhelmine Bertha Sophie von Glaubitz (1802–1887).

[5] His father's family had branches in Denmark and Norway; among his relatives were Wilhelm von Wedell-Piesdorf, Baroness Charlotte Wedell-Wedellsborg, and Baron Fritz Wedel-Jarlsberg.

When war broke out between Prussia and France in July 1870, Wedel was an active participant as an adjutant in the 25th Hessian Cavalry Brigade, which saw him awarded the Iron Cross 2nd Class.

At the signing of the Treaty of San Stefano in 1878, he was part of the German legation, overseeing the negotiations over the borders between the newly created Principality of Bulgaria and Eastern Rumelia.

During their conversation, Alexander mentioned—as Wedel recounted in his letter to Friedrich von Holstein, then-Councilor of Legation in the German Foreign Office—the proposed betrothal made four years ago between him and the crown prince's daughter Princess Viktoria, and how he had made an official declaration renouncing the betrothal under the Kaiser's orders, with Viktoria allegedly making a similar declaration.

[15] This was met with mixed reactions, with Holstein opposing the decision on the grounds of Wedel being a supporter of home rule, which he felt would undermine Berlin's influence.

Besides, I have a stronger influence on him, who may some day become Reich Chancellor but who bona fide does not aspire to the post, than I have on people who regard Strasbourg merely as a stepping stone to Berlin.

[4] Wedel's tenure, however, ran into trouble at the end of 1913, when a Prussian soldier insulted the entire Alsatian populace, with the military committing illegal acts in response to the protests.

[22] In July of that year he became president of the pro-government Nationalausschusses für einen ehrenhaften Frieden (German National Committee for an Honorable Peace), which opposed the annexationism endorsed by right-wing circles.