Prince+Alfred

Prince Alfred by Haley Watson

Alfred Ernest Albert was born on August 6, 1844 at Windsor Castle. He was the fourth child of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom and Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. At birth, he was second in line for succession behind his older brother, The Prince of Wales. After the birth of his brother’s son, and as his brother continued to have children, he was further demoted in the line of succession. By 1856, it was decided that Prince Alfred would go on to join the Royal Navy. He passed the examinations, and was selected to be midshipman in HMS Euryalus at the age of fourteen. Prince Alfred was promoted to lieutenant on February 24, 1863. He was promoted to captain on February 23, 1866. Alfred was then chosen to command of the HMS Galatea in January 1867. On January 24, 1867, the Duke of Edinburgh started from Plymouth for his trip around the world.

By June 7, 1867, he left Gibraltar, and reached the Cape of Good Hope on July 24. He paid a royal visit to Cape Town on August 24, 1867. On September 17, 1860, Alfred and his mother were in Cape Town to start construction for Cape Town's first harbor. It was a significant day for Capetonians because of the previous struggles of the inadequate port facilities. On May 24th, 1866, he was named Duke of Edinburgh, Earl of Ulster, and Earl of Kent. After the death of his uncle, Ernest II, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, the Duke of Edinburgh was named the Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, since his older brother had renounced his place in the succession. The Duke of Saxe-Coburg died of throat cancer on July 30, 1900. The Victoria and Alfred waterfront in Cape Town is named after Alfred and his mother.