A German princess appeared in court yesterday accused of threatening to kill Muslims and calling police officers paedophiles at a posh Scots bash. Princess Theodora Sayn-Wittgenstein is also charged with shouting homophobic abuse and attacking fellow revellers and security staff at the exclusive event in St Andrews on Saturday.
The 27-year-old, whose mum is Swedish and whose dad is a German prince, was at the Oktoberfest party at Kinkell Farm with a host of drunken toffs from around the world. It is one of the highlights of the social calendar with students at the university where the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge met and fell in love.
Sayn-Wittgenstein, from Bavaria, was arrested at the party and locked in a cell over the weekend before appearing from custody at Cupar Sheriff Court. Officers hustled her in through a back door with a coat over her head. It is understood they had to wait until a cell became free because court staff didn’t want her to share with other prisoners due to her background.
The princess’s lawyer, Douglas Williams, told the court his client spoke perfect English but much of what he was saying was going over her head because she was “very upset”. The German royal looked shellshocked when she appeared before Sheriff Charles MacNair with her eyes red and puffy from crying. She pled not guilty to nine charges, all related to assault, threatening and abusive behaviour and obstructing police at the Oktoberfest bash.
Sayn-Wittgenstein is accused of assaulting and kicking one fellow guest, racially abusing a second and making a comment about “killing Muslims”, then kicking and trying to headbutt a third. Other charges include making homophobic and offensive comments to security staff at the event, resisting arrest and accusing police of being paedophiles.
Sayn-Wittgenstein was bailed to an address in central London but will be allowed to return home to Germany. Trial date was set for July at Dundee Sheriff Court.
See also “German princess denies making ‘killing Muslims’ comment at St Andrews charity event”, The Courier, 10 March 2014
Update: See “German princess ranted about killing Muslims at St Andrews beer festival”, Islamophobia Watch, 28 June 2014