Prince Albert of Saxe-Altenburg (Albert Heinrich Joseph Carl Viktor Georg Friedrich; Munich, 14 April 1843 - Serrahn, 22 May 1902) was a German prince of the ducal house of Saxe-Altenburg.

 

Biography

Family

He was the eldest son (third in order of birth but the only one who survived to adulthood) of Prince Eduard of Saxe-Altenburg (youngest son of Frederick, Duke of Saxe-Hildburghausen) and his second wife, Luise Caroline Reuss of Greiz.

Marriages

He was first married in Berlin on 6 May 1885 to Princess Marie of Prussia, widow of Prince Henry of the Netherlands.

They had two daughters:

Olga Elisabeth Carola Victoria Maria Anna Agnes Antoinette (b. Schloß Albrechtsberg, 17 April 1886 - d. Münster, 13 January 1955), married on 20 May 1913 to Karl Frederick, Count of Pückler-Burghauss and Freiherr von Groditz. Marie (b. Schloß Albrechtsberg, 6 June 1888 - d. Hamburg, 12 November 1947), married on 20 April 1911 to Prince Heinrich XXXV Reuss of Köstritz; they divorced in 1921 when Heinrich remarried to Princess Marie Adelheid of Lippe-Biesterfeld.

Albert was a conspicuous figure in Berlin society, and was a great favorite due to his "clever" mind, genial disposition, pleasant address, and enthusiasm as a sportsman. Marie died in 1888. Albert later married in Remplin on 13 December 1891 to the wealthy Duchess Helene of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, only daughter of Grand Duchess Catherine Mikhailovna of Russia. They had no children.

The couple spent half of the year in Russia, where he was much missed in Berlin society. In 1896, he and several other prominent social leaders left Berlin as a result of differences they held with Emperor Wilhelm II. He and his family retired to their Schwerin estate. Sources reported that his "arbitrary manners" became so intolerable to Albert and others, as they were used to the days of social courtesy under the old Wilhelm I.

Prince Albert became a Rechtsritter (Knight of Justice) of the Order of Saint John in 1900. He died on May 22, 1902, at Remplin, his death "sincerely regretted" by all the royal houses in Germany.