Alfred Ernest Albert Saxe-Coburg-Gotha was born at Windsor Castle on 6 August 1844, the fourth child and second son of Queen Victoria. He pursued a highly successful career in the Royal Navy, ultimately becoming Admiral of the Fleet in 1893. He was the first British prince to visit Australia, where was received with great enthusiasm. However, on his second visit in 1868 he was the subject of an assassination attempt, being shot in the back. The bullet missed his spine, and the prince made a good recovery.

In 1866 he was created Duke of Edinburgh and Earl of Ulster and Kent, and took his seat in the House of Lords.

On 23 January 1874 he married the Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna of Russia, daughter of Tsar Alexander II, at the Winter Palace, St Petersburg. There were six children, including one stillborn son.

On the death of his uncle in 1893 he became Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha in Germany. He died of throat cancer in Germany on 30 July 1900.

[Source: Wikipedia]

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