hiː wʌz bˈɔːɹn æɾ ˈɔːɡəstˌɛnboːɹɡ pˈælɪs ɪn dʒuːlˈaɪ wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd sˈɛvənhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɪksti ˈeɪt æz ðə sˈʌn ʌv fɹˈiːdɹɪtʃ kɹˈɪstʃən ˈaɪ, dˈuːk ʌv ʃlˈɛswɪɡhˈɑːlstaɪnsˈɑːndɚbˌɜːɡˈɔːɡəsʔˌn̩bɜːɡ wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd sˈɛvənhˈʌndɹɪd twˈɛnti wˈʌn wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd sˈɛvənhˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪnti fˈoːɹ ænd pɹˈɪnsɛs ʃˈɑːɹlət ʌv ʃlˈɛswɪɡhˈɑːlstaɪnsˈɑːndɚbˌɜːɡplˈɜːn wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd sˈɛvənhˈʌndɹɪd fˈoːɹɾi fˈoːɹ wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd sˈɛvənhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti.
He was born at Augustenborg Palace in July 1768 as the son of Friedrich Christian I, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg (1721–1794) and Princess Charlotte of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Plön (1744–1770).