Prince Albert was the husband of Queen Victoria and the prince consort of the United Kingdom and Ireland. He was the queen’s trusted advisor and had a significant influence on his wife. Born as Francis Albert Augustus Charles Emmanuel to Ernest III, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld and his first wife, Albert had a difficult childhood which was marred by his parents’ troubled marriage and eventual divorce. His mother was exiled from the court and he probably never saw her again. In spite of all his familial problems, he was close to his elder brother and the boys supported each other through turbulent times. He grew up to be an intelligent and talented young man and studied at the ‘University of Bonn’ where he was tutored by philosopher Fichte and poet Schlegel. At the age of 20, he married his cousin, Queen Victoria, who had proposed marriage to him. Victoria, also 20 at the time of the marriage, was the queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. Albert was given the title ‘Prince Consort’ a few years after his marriage and he became the queen’s trusted advisor and took on the responsibilities of running the queen's household, estates, and office. The queen was left devastated by his premature death at the age of 42.