Eduard, Prince of Anhalt youngest son of Duke Joachim Ernst of Anhalt and his second wife Edda, was born at Ballenstedt Castle. Following the accidental death of his elder brother Friedrich in 1963, he became Head of the House of Ascania. The family fled the Soviet occupation zone, living until 1951 at the Protestant Ladies’ Convent in Ebstorf, before settling in Garmisch-Partenkirchen.
After completing his schooling and military service, Prince Eduard studied in Málaga, Spain, later working in the United States (1964–1967) in public relations and advertising, before undertaking traineeships at Deutsche Bank and Klöckner & Co.After German reunification, he sought the return of family property confiscated after the Second World War and stood as a candidate for the Saxony-Anhalt state parliament in 1990. He became well known as a society journalist, columnist, and television presenter, including hosting Adel verpflichtet for RTL, and as a commentator for major royal events. Since the passing of Jörg Brena (2011) and Prince Armin zur Lippe (2015), he has been the only surviving son of a former German federal prince.