Behind Ursula von der Leyen's political career stands a family in which medicine, scientific work and equestrian sports occupy an important place. The President of the European Commission has been married to German doctor Heiko von der Leyen since 1986. The couple have seven children, born between 1987 and 1999.
The family has long been associated with a farm and horses in the Hanover area. Von der Leyen is known as an avid rider, and over the years her children have also been involved in equestrian sports. In an interview with Time magazine, she says that as her political career developed, her husband took on a significant part of the care of the children. “You would never ask a male minister how he manages his seven children at home“, she says.
What does her husband do
Heiko von der Leyen is a doctor and a specialist with a career in medical research and biotechnology. He is the medical director of the American company Orgenesis, which works in the field of cell therapies and the development of biopharmaceutical products. This is confirmed both by the company's corporate structure and by his wife's declaration of interests.
The document, published on September 17, 2026, also states that he provides medical and scientific advice, participates in research structures and is the managing director of Orgenesis Germany GmbH. The declaration states that the German company is involved in laboratory equipment, medical equipment and research and development.
What the declaration of interests shows
The document contains specific data on some of the family's financial interests, but does not represent a complete property balance. It lists 14,168 stock options for Orgenesis Inc., which have not been exercised as of the date of the declaration. It also lists Heiko von der Leyen's 100 percent stake in Visonamora Asset Management UG - a company described as inactive and intended to manage its own assets and participations.
Ursula von der Leyen herself has not declared any shares, bonds, other assets or liabilities that, according to European Commission rules, could create a conflict of interest. The declaration also does not list any real estate. However, this does not mean that the family does not own a home: the rules explicitly exempt from declaration homes used exclusively by the commissioner and his family.
What is known about the children
Most of Ursula and Heiko von der Leyen's seven children do not maintain a public political profile and there is not enough reliable confirmed data on their current professions and income. The professional biography of their daughter Johanna, who graduated with a master's degree in international politics from Stanford University, is publicly documented. She previously worked for a sustainability and climate risk consultancy.
The available data thus show a family with a high professional and material standard, but do not provide grounds for a specific assessment of its total wealth. Ursula von der Leyen's lucrative public office, her husband's scientific and managerial career, and individual corporate holdings are known, while the exact value of her properties, savings, and other assets has not been publicly established.
Sources: Time