Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany

HRH Prince Leopold George Duncan Albert, Duke of Albany ( born April 7, 1853 in Buckingham Palace, London, † March 28, 1884 in Cannes) was the eighth child of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom and Prince Albert of Saxe -Coburg and Gotha.

Life

The birth of Prince Leopold was a sensation in medical terms, because his mother could be numb at birth with chloroform and anesthesia in obstetrics became popular as role models.

Leopold was baptized on 28 June 1853. It was named after Queen Victoria's favorite uncle, King Leopold I of Belgium, he was given the name " Duncan " in honor of Scotland. His godparents were King George V of Hanover, Princess Augusta of Prussia, Mary Adelaide Duchess of Teck and Ernst von Hohenlohe -Langenburg.

Already in his childhood, it became clear that he was suffering from hemophilia ( hemophilia). Leopold was the first known case of this disease in the British royal family, since his brothers were healthy. Some of his sisters were indeed female carriers of this genetic disease, but were themselves healthy.

Since he remained a military career closed due to the disease, Leopold operated primarily as a patron of art and literature. He was 1878 president of the Royal Society of Literature and in 1879 Vice- President of the Royal Society of Arts.

On March 27, 1884 Leopold died of complications from hemophilia (knee injury from a fall). He was buried in Windsor. Four months after his death was his son Charles to the world, was thus since its birth, the second Duke of Albany.

Progeny

On April 27, 1882 Leopold married Princess Helene of Waldeck and Pyrmont ( 1861-1922 ), with whom he had two children:

  • Princess Alice of Albany (1883-1981) ∞ Prince Alexander of Teck (1874-1957)
  • Leopold Charles Edward George Albert, 2nd Duke of Albany, later reigning Duke of Saxe- Coburg and Gotha ( 1884-1954 ) ∞ Victoria Adelaide of Schleswig -Holstein -Sonderburg- Glücksburg ( 1885-1970 )
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