Overview

• He died on 22 August in Hamburg, according to an NDR announcement on behalf of his family, which did not disclose a cause of death.
• For decades he was Germany’s foremost TV voice on European royals, providing live commentary on events such as the 1981 wedding of Charles and Diana, Diana’s 1997 funeral and the 2011 wedding of William and Kate.
• His career spanned reporting from West Africa (1968–1976), leading ARD’s London studio from 1978, serving as NDR television program director from 1982 to 1989 and later running the Seelmannfilm production company with his son.
• NDR director general Joachim Knuth praised him as a formative, exemplary journalist whose knowledge and tact resonated with audiences across reports, documentaries and live broadcasts.
• He received numerous honors, including the 2011 Deutscher Fernsehpreis and a CBE, engaged in humanitarian work with UNICEF and largely withdrew from public life around 2020 after final reports in 2018 and 2019.