Ernest and Karoline had six children; they were all titular counts and countesses of Lippe-Biesterfeld at birth; the ruling in 1905 made them princes and princesses of Lippe.

Adelaide (22 June 1870 – 3 September 1948) married Prince Frederick Johann of Saxe-Meiningen; they were the grandparents of Princess Regina of Saxe-Meiningen, wife of Crown Prince Otto of Austria
Leopold IV (30 May 1871 – 30 December 1949)
Bernhard (26 August 1872 – 19 June 1934), married morganatically to Baroness Armgard von Sierstorpff-Cramm (1883-1971) and was the father of Prince Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld (1911-2004), the husband of Queen Juliana of the Netherlands
Julius Ernst (2 September 1873 – 15 September 1952) married Duchess Marie of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
Karola (2 September 1873 – 23 April 1958)
Mathilde (27 March 1875 – 12 February 1907)
Ernest and Karoline had six children; they were all titular counts and countesses of Lippe-Biesterfeld at birth; the ruling in 1905 made them princes and princesses of Lippe.
Adelaide (22 June 1870 – 3 September 1948) married Prince Frederick Johann of Saxe-Meiningen; they were the grandparents of Princess Regina of Saxe-Meiningen, wife of Crown Prince Otto of Austria
Leopold IV (30 May 1871 – 30 December 1949)
Bernhard (26 August 1872 – 19 June 1934), married morganatically to Baroness Armgard von Sierstorpff-Cramm (1883-1971) and was the father of Prince Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld (1911-2004), the husband of Queen Juliana of the Netherlands
Julius Ernst (2 September 1873 – 15 September 1952) married Duchess Marie of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
Karola (2 September 1873 – 23 April 1958)
Mathilde (27 March 1875 – 12 February 1907)
Karoline of Wartensleben