Whakaotihia te rerenga e whai ake nei: Ko Henry te tama a Frederick William II o Prussia (1744-1797) me tana wahine tuarua a Frederika Louisa (1751-1805), tamahine a Louis IX, Landgrave o Hesse-Darmstadt. I uru a Henry ki te ope taua i te 5 o Hepetema 1795 hei fähnrich i te Kamupene Ora o te 1st Guards Battalion. I mahi hoki ia hei rangatira i te wā o te
1806-07 pakanga ki a Napoleon - i Auerstadt i whakawhiwhia ki a ia he hoiho na Gerhard von Scharnhorst i muri i te hinganga o te hoiho a Henry i raro i a ia. I te tau 1807 i whakawhiwhia ia hei rangatira mo te "von Schöning" Infantry Regiment. I te pakanga o te tau 1813 i noho ia ki te tari matua o te rangatira o Ruhia a Peter Wittgenstein. I te 31 o Mei 1815 i whakatairangahia ia ki te Tiamana o te Infantry.