Charles Edward / Carl Eduard: Britain’s Tragic Prince, Germany’s Despised Duke – Part 1

Carl Eduard, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. Image from Wikimedia Commons

Born a British prince on July 19, 1884, Charles Edward, Duke of Albany, was a victim of his own birthright. His father, Prince Leopold, the youngest son of Queen Victoria, died before he was born and he was raised by her mother, Helen, Duchess of Albany, together with his sister Princess Alice of Albany (later Countess of Athlone), under the watchful eyes of his grandmother, Queen Victoria.

At the age of 15, his destiny would change forever after it became apparent that he should succeed his uncle, Prince Alfred, to the sovereign duchies of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, within the German Empire. The duke’s own son, Prince Affie, attempted suicide and died two weeks after, in 1899. The next-in-line, Alfred’s younger brother, Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught, renounced his right to succeed, for himself and for his son, Prince Arthur of Connaught. The burden of inheriting the duchy, thus, fell on the lap of the 15-year-old Duke of Albany. Any iota of hesitation was forcibly smashed when, rumour has it, Prince Arthur, who was attending Eton with Charles Edward at that time, threatened to box him if he refused the duchy.

Helen, Duchess of Albany. Image from Wikimedia Commons

In her memoir, Princess Alice of Albany later wrote: "It was a very great heartbreak for my mother that my brother had to succeed to Coburg. 'I have always tried to bring Charlie up as a good Englishman,' she once said, 'and now I have to turn him into a good German.'" It was a decision that the duchess "reluctantly" agreed upon, one that her son “should accept” because he “was too young to resist.” Charles Edward may not have been consulted about this decision and his life changed forever. He could have done things differently had he been old enough to decide for himself.

From his grandmother’s ward, Charles Edward moved to Germany, where he came under the sphere of influence of his eldest cousin, the imperious Kaiser Wilhelm II. He succeeded the duchies of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha in 1900, but the duchies were placed under the regency of Prince Ernst of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, the husband of his cousin, Princess Alexandra of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. His name was changed to the German-sounding Carl Eduard, and to prepare him for his role, he was sent to the universities in Bonn and Berlin and he also joined the Lichterfeld Military Academy.

The Duke and Duchess of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. Image from Wikimedia Commons

Upon attaining majority in 1905, he assumed his sovereign authority over his duchies. In the same year he married Princess Victoria Adelaide of Schleswig-Holstein and they had children.

Carl Eduard divided his time between the towns of Coburg and Gotha, moving around his different residences: Schloss Friedenstein, Ehrenburg Palace, and Schloss Callenberg, the last being his favorite. He also spent considerable time and money in renovating the Veste Coburg, an abandoned ducal residence. He lavished a considerable amount on this 17th century residence and the protracted work, which spanned from 1908 until 1924, took a strain on his finances.

 Initially a liberal-minded leader, Carl Eduard veered towards autocratic tendencies and depended on his advisers. He was also a keen supporter of his cousin, Kaiser Wilhelm II, and took great interest in Zeppelin and aeroplane technology. 

Continued on part 2...