His Royal Highness Prince Carl Raymond Bradley

Published on 20 May 2025 at 20:55

His Royal Highness Prince Carl Raymond Bradley, Prince of Ireland, Sovereign Head of the Royal House of Bradley. Born on May 29, 1964, in Fredericksburg, Virginia, His Royal Highness Prince Carl Raymond Bradley is the firstborn son of Prince Gerald Paul Bradley and Christine Rosemary Förnbacher.

 

Raised in Altoona, Pennsylvania, he is a statesman whose lineage includes military leaders, philanthropists, artists, and defenders of faith and culture. Through his mother’s noble house, Prince Carl is also the grandson of Duke and Fürst Ernest Gottlieb Förnbacher of Germany. He was baptized, confirmed, and received his first Communion at Saint Mary’s Roman Catholic Church in Altoona, raised with a strong Roman Catholic foundation. Prince Carl grew up alongside five sisters. Four survive today: Princess Royal Kathleen Marie Bradley Albright, Princess Mary Esther Bradley-Hollern, Princess Barbara Ann Bradley-Wilt, and Princess Denise Lynn Bradley-Bowman. His second sister, Princess Theresa Anna Bradley, passed away in infancy.

 

On December 4, 1986, Prince Carl married Princess Consort Elke Petra Scherlein, Dame of Erlangen, Bavaria. 

Together, they have three children:

• Princess Christina Elisabeth-Ann Bradley (b. January 23, 1990, Tacoma, WA)

• Prince Patrick Ryan Bradley (b. November 8, 1991, Columbus, GA)

• Prince Shawn Michael-Christopher Bradley (b. July 15, 1993, Altoona, PA)

 

Education and Service: His Royal Highness completed his primary education in 1981 and later advanced his studies while serving in the military. He earned a Doctorate in Philosophy of Religious Beliefs, specializing in Conscious Business Ethics, from Sedona University of Arizona in 1993. He is fluent in English and German and has a working knowledge of Polish.

 

In September 1981, he enlisted in the United States Army, serving in elite units including the 2nd Battalion Army Rangers at Fort Lewis, Washington. He retired from active duty in March 1993 as an instructor at the Infantry School in Fort Benning, Georgia.

Military Honors and International Recognition

Prince Carl’s distinguished military career earned him numerous U.S. and international awards, including: • Master Parachutist Wings with Combat Jump Star, Ranger, Pathfinder, Jungle Operations, and Sniper School Graduate, Combat Infantryman Badge, Army Commendation Medal with “V” for Valor, multiple oakleaf clusters, Decorations from Germany, Canada, Panama, and Egypt, including the Schützenschnur (Gold) and Canadian Red Jump Wings, Inducted into the Order of Saint Maurice at Fort Benning.

 

Noble Legacy and Sovereign Restoration

Following his retirement from the military, Prince Carl embraced the full responsibilities of his birthright. Despite resistance from within and beyond his lineage, he remained steadfast in restoring the honor, visibility, and sovereignty of the Royal House of Bradley, as well as its connection to the House of Förnbacher, inherited upon the passing of his mother on March 15, 2024. The Royal House of Bradley is today recognized as an Interdependent Sovereign Entity, preserving both cognatic kinship and sovereign legal status through a formal Declaration of Sovereignty.

 

Public Service and Philanthropy

Prince Carl has dedicated his life to charity, education, and cultural restoration. He founded a family-based charitable foundation in 1986, supporting local youth, education, ecology, social welfare, and medical assistance.

His leadership has also led to the establishment of shelters and food pantries in Raeford, North Carolina, where he now resides.

He is the Sovereign of the Most Royal Order of the House of Bradley and an active participant in charity events across the United States.

His efforts have brought together aristocratic tradition, Christian virtue, and practical care for the most vulnerable. Prince Carl continues to serve with humility, a keen sense of humor, and unwavering faith, devoted to the rebuilding of the noble legacy entrusted to him and to the calling of every sovereign who remembers that true nobility is proven in service.