The Exiled Mother-in-Law of Queen Victoria: Louise of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg

         Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha was a faithful husband to his wife, Queen Victoria. There are no allegations of affairs or dalliances after his marriage. Furthermore, Albert died after a distressing talk with his son, Edward, regarding Edward's affair with an actress. Victoria blamed Albert's death on his horror of finding out that Edward was not the faithful man his father was.

Louise of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg

         Albert's disdain for philandering may be attributed to the poor treatment his mother, Louise of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg, received from his father, Duke Ernest III of Saxe-Gotha-Saalfield. Louise was married to Ernest at the age of sixteen. Like many princesses, she had no say in her marriage and was given only a cursory education on her wifely duties. Thrust into marriage with a man she did not love with little worldly experience, resulted in a lonely existence for Louise. Louise was said to be beautiful and clever, but these attributes did not win over her husband. Louise and Ernest managed to produce two sons: another Ernest and Albert. After the succession was secured, Ernest neglected Louise and carried on numerous affairs behind her back. It is said that Louise followed her husband's example and turned to other men for affection.

Louise and her sons, Albert and Ernest

           Ernest divorced Louise over her infidelity. Ernest kept the children at his palace and exiled Louise to the Principality of Lichtenberg. Her sons were allowed to visit her periodically until it was discovered that Louise had remarried in secret. Louise wed Baron Alexander von Hanstein, without permission from the Duke. This enraged Ernest, who forbid Louise from seeing her sons again.

Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha

        Shortly after her marriage was discovered, Louise died of cancer, aged only 30. Queen Victoria said that it was claimed Albert was very much like his mother and took after her in looks. When her son, Ernest, became Duke, he reinterred her remains in the ducal mausoleum, giving his mother the honor denied by his father.