Prince Francis Joseph of Battenberg, also known as Prince Franz Joseph of Battenberg, (24 September 1861 – 31 July 1924), was the youngest son of Prince Alexander of Hesse and by Rhine and Countess Julia von Hauke.
At one time, he was considered for the throne of Bulgaria, which eventually went to his brother Alexander. Francis Joseph nevertheless followed his brother to Bulgaria, where he served as a colonel in the Bulgarian cavalry. He made a proposal of marriage to Consuelo Vanderbilt in 1894, but she hated him on sight and refused. On 18 May 1897 he married Princess Ana Petrovic-Njegoš of Montenegro, (Cetinje 18 August 1874 – 22 April 1971 Territet), daughter of Nicholas I of Montenegro. There was no issue of the marriage.
He was made an honorary Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (civil division) by Queen Victoria on 6 February 1896.
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