OTD April 7th.1853 Prince Leopold Duke of Albany

Leopold George Duncan Albert was born on April 7th. 1853 at Buckingham Palace
in Londen, United Kingdom.



Family

His parents were Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom and her husband, Prince
Albert. Prince Leopold was named after his grand-uncle, King Leopold
of Belgium.

On June 28th. 1853, Prince Leopold was baptized in the Private Chapel of
Buckingham Palace by the Archbishop of Canterbury, John Bird Sumner.His
godparents were:

- George V of Hanover;
- Princess William of Prussia;
- Princess Mary Adelaide of Cambridge;
- Prince Ernst of Hohenlohe-Langenburg.



Illness

Unfortunately Prince Leopold inherited hemophilia from his mother,
Queen Victoria.

Study

In 1872, Prince Leopold entered Oxford University. There he studied various
subjects and he even became president of the Oxford University Chess Club.

Later he was a patron of Chess and in 1883 the London Chess Tournament was
held under his patronage.

Title

On May 24th. 1881 Prince Leopold received the title(s):
Duke of Albany;
Earl of Clarence;
Baron Arklow.



Love & Marriage

Although Queen Victoria wanted to keep Prince Leopold at home, he desired to
wed. Due to his illness he had many difficulties to find a wife.

Inter alia:

- Princess Frederica of Hanover;
- Princess Victoria of Baden;
- Princess Karoline Mathilde of Schliswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg,

rejected him.

Finally Queen Vicotira found a suitable candidate. She 'suggested' a meeting
between her son and Princess Helena of Waldeck and Pyrmont (sister of
Queen Consort Emma of the Netherlands).

They had a brief but happy marriage and they would have two children:

- Princess Alice
- Prince Charles Edward.

Through his son, Prince Leopold was the great-grandfather of
Carl XVI Gustaf, the current King of Sweden.

Death

Prince Leopold died on March 28th. 1884 at the age of 30 in Cannes, France.


Source pictures: Wikipedia

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