With access to more than 20,000 of Albert’s private papers and photos currently housed in the Round Tower at Windsor Castle, Professor Saul David examines Albert’s significant influence on British culture, governmental policy and even international relations.

Initially viewed with suspicion and hostility by the British public and dismissed by Parliament, Albert faced an uphill struggle to carve out a leadership role and be taken seriously. Such was his tenacity that by the time of his premature death, aged only 42, Albert was widely regarded as a forward-thinking reformer whose innovative ideas transformed the fortunes of the nation and created a legacy that lives on today. Victoria may have worn the crown but Albert was king in all but name.