Duke of Albany facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Dukedom of Albany
Arms of Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany
Creation date	24 May 1881
Creation	Sixth
Monarch	Queen Victoria
Peerage	Peerage of the United Kingdom
First holder	Prince Leopold
Last holder	Prince Charles Edward
Remainder to	the 1st Duke's heirs male of the body lawfully begotten
Subsidiary titles	Earl of Clarence Baron Arklow
Status	Suspended under the Titles Deprivation Act 1917 on 28 March 1919

Arms of the Albany Stewarts

The Duke of Albany is a special title given to younger sons in the Scottish and later the British royal family. It's a very old title, often given to princes who were not expected to become king.

What is the Duke of Albany Title?

The title "Duke of Albany" has been created several times throughout history. "Albany" refers to a large area in Scotland, mainly the parts north of the River Forth. This title was one of the first "Dukedoms" ever created in Scotland.

History of the Title

The first time the Dukedom of Albany was created was in 1398. King Robert III of Scotland gave it to his brother, Robert Stewart.

Early Scottish Dukes

After Robert, his son Murdoch Stewart became the Duke. However, in 1425, Murdoch lost the title because he was found guilty of a serious crime against the crown. This is called "attainder."

The title was created again in 1458 for Alexander Stewart. He also lost the title later. His son, John Stewart, got it back in 1515 but died without any children.

In 1541, a baby named Robert, who was the second son of James V of Scotland, was called Duke of Albany. But he sadly died when he was less than a month old.

The Title and the Crown

The title was created a fourth time in 1565 for Lord Darnley, who was married to Mary, Queen of Scots. Their son, James, inherited the title when his father died. When James became King of Scotland (and later England), the title "merged" with the crown. This means the King held the title, and it wasn't separate anymore.

The title was created for a fifth time in 1604 for Charles, who was the son of King James. When Charles became King in 1625, the title merged with the crown again.

Later, in 1660, the title was given to James, who was Charles I's son. When James became King in 1685, the title merged with the crown once more. This is why New York and Albany, New York were named after James, as he was also the Duke of York.

Prince Charles Edward, the last person to hold the title, lost it in 1919.

The Last Duke of Albany

The title "Albany" alone was given for the sixth time in 1881. This was to Prince Leopold, who was the fourth son of Queen Victoria.

Prince Leopold's son, Prince Charles Edward, became the Duke after him. However, in 1919, Prince Charles Edward lost his title. This happened because he fought against the United Kingdom in World War I. A law called the Titles Deprivation Act 1917 was passed to remove titles from people who had fought against Britain.

Even though some of his family members later used the title, it was officially suspended. For anyone to get the title back, the King or Queen would have to agree after a special review.

Dukes of Albany Through History

Here are some of the people who held the title of Duke of Albany:

First Creation (1398)

• Robert Stewart, Duke of Albany (around 1340–1420)
• Murdoch Stewart, Duke of Albany (1362–1425) - He lost the title.

Second Creation (1458)

• Alexander Stewart, Duke of Albany (around 1454–1485) - He lost the title twice.
• John Stewart, Duke of Albany (1482–1536) - He got the title back but died without children.

Only Styled (1541)

Third Creation (1565)

Duke	Portrait	Birth	Marriages	Death
Henry Stuart House of Stuart 1565–1567		Born 19 November 1545	Married Mary, Queen of Scots	Died 10 February 1567
James Stuart House of Stuart 1567		Born 19 June 1566	Married Anne of Denmark	Died 27 March 1625
Prince James became King James VI in 1567, and his titles merged with the crown.

Fourth Creation (1604)

Duke	Portrait	Birth	Marriages	Death
Charles Stuart House of Stuart 1600–1625		Born 19 November 1600	Married Henrietta Maria of France	Died 30 January 1649
Prince Charles became King Charles I in 1625, and his titles merged with the crown.

Fifth Creation (1660)

Duke	Portrait	Birth	Marriages	Death
James Stuart House of Stuart 1633 or 1644 – 1685		Born 14 October 1633	Married Anne Hyde and Mary of Modena	Died 16 September 1701
Prince James became King James II in 1685, and his titles merged with the crown.

Sixth Creation (1881)

Duke	Portrait	Birth	Marriages	Death
Prince Leopold House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha 1882–1884		Born 7 April 1853	Married Princess Helena of Waldeck and Pyrmont	Died 28 March 1884
Prince Charles Edward House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha 1884–1919		Born 19 July 1884	Married Princess Victoria Adelaide of Schleswig-Holstein	Died 6 March 1954
The Titles Deprivation Act 1917 suspended the title on 28 March 1919.

Family Tree

Dukes of Albany in Stories

The title "Duke of Albany" has also appeared in books and movies:

• In the old play Gorboduc, a character named Fergus, the Duke of Albany, tries to become king.
• William Shakespeare's famous play King Lear features a main character who is the Duke of Albany.
• In the 2001 movie Kate & Leopold, Hugh Jackman plays "Leopold Mountbatten, Duke of Albany." This character is similar to the real Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany.

See also

• Duchess of Albany
• Duke of York
• Duke of York and Albany
• Alba
• Albany (disambiguation)