Rolf Seelmann-Eggebert: NDR noble expert died at the age of 88

Mourning for Rolf Seelmann-Eggeber (1937-2025): The legendary NDR reporter and noble expert died in Hamburg on August 22nd at the age of 88. The broadcaster announced this on Friday. Born in Berlin, he had shaped the North German Radio program for over six decades and was considered one of the largest connoisseurs of the European royal houses.

“Rolf Seelmann-Eggebert has shaped our program crucially-as an aristocratic expert, but also in many other areas,” says NDR director Joachim Knuth to the deceased. “Whether he reported from crisis areas, accompanied the unequal distribution of global wealth or large -scale royal events – he always convinced the spectators through his profound knowledge and his tactful dealings with topics and people.” The NDR “owes a lot” to the deceased.

The later television star’s career began in 1956 after studying sociology with a traineeship at the NDR. Just eight years later, he took over the management of the reportage department. From 1968 to 1971 he reported as an ARD radio correspondent from West Africa. He then moved to television and headed the ARD office for Africa from Nairobi. Later he also became head of the ARD studio London, NDR program director television and chief correspondent television of the NDR.

But the broad audience knew “Königsfritze” Seelmann-Eggebert above all as the man who brought the world of royals closer to the German television viewers. His television ceremonies “European royal houses”, “Royalty”, “Königskinder” or “The Windsors – 100 Turbulent Years” became public racers. His live comments on the big royal weddings of Prince Charles and Lady Diana, Prince William and Kate Middleton as well as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle remain unforgettable.

Even after his official retirement in 2002, Seelmann-Eggeber was connected to the NDR. His last television report “A reunion with Kenya” radiated the first 2018. The then 81-year-old traveled the East African country again to experience how it had changed as a correspondent since his time.

For his work, Seelmann-Egbert was awarded the German Journalist Prize, the Cross of Merit 1st Class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, the “Order of the British Empire” or the Bambi. In 2011 he received the German television award in the “Special performance entertainment” category for his royalty reporting.