Prince Albert Victor, the eldest son of the future King Edward VII and Alexandra of Denmark, was born prematurely on January 8, 1864. He was the first grandchild of Queen Victoria to be born in Britain, and as the heir presumptive to the throne his birth was a major event for the royal family. Because his younger brother George, the future King George V, was born less than 17 months later, the two princes were educated together. As teenagers, they spent three years sailing around the world, and when Albert Victor returned at age 18, he was sent to study at Cambridge’s Trinity College.
In 1889, Albert Victor proposed to Princess Alix of Hesse, who would later become the last Empress of Russia. The proposal was rejected. That same year, he became entangled in the Cleveland Street scandal, after a 15-year-old messenger boy confessed to working as a prostitute for an aristocratic clientele. The prince’s involvement in the affair was never substantiated.
After years of searching for a suitable bride, Albert Victor finally became engaged to Princess Mary of Teck, who accepted his proposal. But only one month later, before the wedding could take place, he fell gravely ill. Albert Victor died from pneumonia on January 14, 1892, less than a week after his 28th birthday. His death was a devastating blow to the royal family and reshaped the line of succession.
George, who had been second in line, became heir and later reigned as King George V, changing the course of British royal history.