The German prince Albert (August 26, 1819 - December 14, 1861) was born in the Saxon duchy of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld to a family connected to many of Europe's ruling monarchs.

Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and his brother, Ernest II, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha were enrolled at the Royal Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität zu Bonn in law (constitutional law), political economy, philosophy and history of art on May 3, 1837 and remained so up to and including the summer semester of 1838.

At the age of twenty in 1840 he married his cousin, the British Queen Victoria. They had nine children. From 1857 Albert carried the title „Prince Consort". He had significant influence on Queen Victoria and the development of the British monarchy until the end of his life.

He supported public causes, such as educational reform and the abolition of slavery worldwide, and was entrusted with running the Queen's household, office and estates. He also was heavily involved with the organization of the Great Exhibition of 1851, which was a resounding success.