William Frederick inherited the title of Prince of Wied after the death of his father in 1907. After the German Revolution in 1919 all nobility titles were abolished. He became the titular Prince, or "Fürst", until his death in 1945, upon which the title was inherited by his 14-year-old grandson Frederick William (1931–2000). His son Hermann had predeceased him, having died of wounds received in action during World War II in Rzeszów, Poland.