Family and early life Prince Albert 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, Princess Luise Caroline
Reuss of Greiz. He entered the Russian army early in life, and attained the rank of Major-General in this service, but subsequently exchanged it for the Prussian army, where he became a general of cavalry.
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: •
Princess Olga Elisabeth Carola Victoria Maria Anna Agnes Antoinette of Saxe-Altenburg (Schloß Albrechtsberg, 17 April 1886 – Münster, 13 January 1955); married on 20 May 1913
Karl Frederick, Count of Pückler-Burghauss and Freiherr von Groditz (1886–1945). • Marie (
Schloß Albrechtsberg, 6 June 1888 –
Hamburg, 12 November 1947); married on 20 April 1911 Heinrich XXXV, Prince von
Reuss of Köstritz (1887–1936, son of
Heinrich VII, Prince Reuss of Köstritz); they divorced in 1921, and Heinrich remarried to
Princess Marie Adelheid of Lippe-Biesterfeld. Marie adopted in 1942 her godson Theodor Franz (
Graf Praschma) von Sachsen-Altenburg (1934–2012). Princess Marie died in 1888 from the effects of
puerperal fever. A few years later on 13 December 1891, at
Remplin, Albert married
Duchess Helene of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. The couple had no children. 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. Sources reported that the Emperor′s "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 died on 22 May 1902 at
Remplin. ==Honours==