He was the father of William, Prince of Albania and brother of Queen Elisabeth of Romania.

William was the second child and first son of Hermann, Prince of Wied (1814–1864), son of Johann August Karl, Prince of Wied (1779-1836) and Princess Sophie Auguste of Solms-Braunfels (1796-1855), and his wife, Princess Marie of Nassau (1825–1902), daughter of William, Duke of Nassau and his first wife, Princess Louise of Saxe-Hildburghausen.

Through his mother he was descendant of William IV Stadtholder of the Netherlands and George II of Great Britain.

Between 1893 and 1897 he was the Imperial commissioner and military Chief of volunteer nurses in the army.

William married on 18 July 1871 in Wassenaar, Princess Marie of the Netherlands (1841–1910), younger daughter of Prince Frederick of the Netherlands (1792–1839) second son of William I of the Netherlands, and his wife, Princess Louise of Prussia (1808–1870), daughter of Frederick William III of Prussia.