Prince Albert

Prince Albert was the husband of Queen Victoria. He was consort of the British monarch from their marriage in 1840 until his death in 1861.

**Albert, Prince Consort**
 Burial: 23rd December 1861, Royal Vault, St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, Windsor, Berkshire, England, United Kingdom;
18th December 1862, Royal Mausoleum, Frogmore,
 Sibling(s): Ernest II, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha

### Birth and Early Life

Albert, Prince Consort was born Prince Franz August Karl Albert Emanuel Wettin of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld on the 26th of August 1819 at Schloss Rosenau (Rosenau Castle) in Coburg, Duchy of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, German Confederation (Now Coburg, Upper Franconia, Bavaria, Federal Republic of Germany). He was the youngest child of Ernest I, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and Princess Louise of Saxe-Coburg-Altenburg.

He was baptised on the 19th of September 1819 in the Marble Hall at his home Schloss Rosenau with his godparents Augusta, Dowager Duchess of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld (His paternal grandmother), Augustus, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg (His maternal grandfather), Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor, Albert Casimir, Duke of Teschen and Emanuel, Count of Mensdorff-Pouilly (His paternal uncle by marriage).

Albert grew up with his older brother Ernest whom he grew very close to. His parents had a turbulent marriage, eventuallly separating and later divorcing. His mother was exiled from court and died of cancer soon after aged 30 in 1831 having never seen her children again. Albert's father remarried in 1832 to his niece Duchess Marie of Württemberg but she failed to become close to her stepsons.

Albert was educated at home with his brother by Christoph Florschütz and later studied abroad in Brussels, Belgium where his tutors included astronomer Adolphe Quetelet. Like many other German princes Albert attended Bonn University in Germany where he studied law, political economy, philosophy and the history of art. He also played music and sports including fencing and riding and his tutors included philosopher Immanuel Hermann Fichte and poet August Wilhelm Schlegel.

### Marriage

Albert's marriage to Victoria was considered by their ambitious uncle Leopold, King of Belgium. In May 1836 Leopold arranged for his sister, Victoria's mother Victoire to invite her brother and his sons (including Albert) to meet young Victoria. Victoria's uncle King William IV of the United Kingdom didn't approve of a Coburg match and wanted to match his niece with Prince Alexander of the Netherlands. Victoria preferred Albert whom she found much more attractive.

Victoria became Queen in 1837 and Albert returned to the United Kingdom in 1839 with the intention of an engagement. Victoria proposed to Albert, as it would have been improper for a person to propose to a monarch, on the 15th of October 1839. He was created an HRH (His Royal Highness) in preparation of the marriage.

Victoria and Albert married on the 10th of February 1840 at the chapel royal at St James's Palace in London. Albert was initially very unpopular with the British public due to the debate over what his title should be. Previous male consorts were granted the dignity of King Consort and Victoria wished Albert to follow that tradition but the government disagreed and persuaded the Queen against it. They agreed he should be created HRH Prince Albert.

### Consort and Fatherhood

Albert considered his new role one of distinction but also of considerable difficulties. He felt undermined by his wife's former governess Baroness Louise Lehzen who ran the houshold. Albert didn't get along with the Baroness and tried to have her fired from her position. He took on many public duties including becoming President of the Society for the Extinction of Slavery as well as helping his wife privately with her paperwork.

In June 1840 Albert and his pregnant wife were shot at by Edward Oxford, a young englishman who was later deemed insane. 5 months later they welcomed their eldest child, a daughter named Victoria after her mother known as Vicky on the 21st of November. He got rid of Lehzen's control of the nursery soon after. 8 children would follow: Edward (Bertie) in 1841, Alice in 1843, Alfred (Affie) in 1844, Helena (Lenchen) in 1846, Louise in 1848, Arthur in 1850, Leopold in 1853 and Beatrice (Baby) in 1857.

A furthur 4 attempts were made on the Queen's life but she survived each of them unharmed. In 1848 Albert purchased Balmoral Castle in Scotland as a private retreat alonsgide their usual residences and it was there they stayed every year, a tradition which has continued ever since.

### Reformer

1848 later known as "The year of Revolutions" was dangerous for Albert and his many relatives many of whom were disposed of by revolutuonaries. Albert feared for his new country but luckily nothing took place Albert took on a role as Chancellor of the University of Cambridge in 1847 and used his position to widen the curriculum of basic mathematics to include modern history and natural sciences.

He presented The Great Exhibition in 1851 and it's success was credited largely to his promotion efforts. He had to fight for every step including where it was to be housed as many didn't support it. Queen Victoria attended and it was considered a great success.

Following the outbreak of the Crimean War in 1853, in 1854 Albert came up with a plan to starve Russia economically so it would surrender and it became the allied plan. The people complained of a badly mismanaged army and the conflict dragged on for a furthur 2 years. During the war Albert arranged the marriage of his young daughter, Vicky to Pricne Frederick William of Prussia, son of the Crown Prince of Prussia. His hopes were that they would create his dream of a united Germany.

At home he engineered an educational regime for his 9 children. The boys would be expected to take 6 hours of instruction inclduing an hour of French and German each day. He built the Swiss cottage at Osborne where his children would learn gardening, woodwork and cooking. His eldest daughter's education included lessons of arithmetic, geography and history and Albert tutored her in politics and philosophy. He followed the progress of his children carefully and gave some of their lessons himself and he also spent time playing with them.

### Death

In Autumn 1859 Albert fell ill with stomach cramps and his steadily worsening condition led him to a sense of despair. He had a bursh with death whilst visiting his brother in Coburg in 1860 when his horse pulling the carriage suddenly bolted. He avoided major injuries but confided in his brother and eldest daughter that he sensed his time had come. Victoria's mother died in March 1861 and Albert took over his wife's duties despite his declining health.

In November 1861 Albert recieved news of his eldest son's indiscretions with an Irish actress whilst studying at University in Cambridge. He travelled to see him on the 25th and they took a walk in the rain to discuss it. Upon his return Albert's condition deteriorated quickly and he suffered pains in his legs and back.

On the 9th of December 1861 Albert's doctor diagnosed him with Typhoid Fever and at 10:50pm on the 14th of December Albert died aged 42 in the Blue Room at Windsor Castle in Berkshire in the presence of 5 of his 9 children. The diagnosis has been called into question many times since then and writers say his 2 years of illness may indicate a condition such as Crohn's disease, kidney failuire or abdominal cancer. He was interred in the royal vault in St George's Chapel in 1861b before being moved to the Royal Mausoleum in Windsor in 1862.

### Titles

Birth (1840)-Great-Uncle's death (1825): His Serene Highness Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, Duke of Saxony

Great-Uncle's death (1825)-Marriage (1840): His Serene Highness Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Duke of Saxony

Marriage (1840)-Victoria's gift (1857): His Royal Highness Prince Albert

Victoria's gift (1857)-Death (1861): His Royal Highness Albert, Prince Consort