Albert, 12th Prince of Thurn and Taxis

Albert, 12th Prince of Thurn and Taxis (Albert Maria Lamoral Miguel Johannes Gabriel Fürst von Thurn und Taxis;[1] born 24 June 1983), is a German aristocrat, businessman, and race car driver.[2][3]:540[4] He has been listed as the world's youngest billionaire many times since his father's death in 1990,[5] first appearing on the list when he was age eight.[2]

Albert
Prince of Thurn and Taxis
Prince Albert in 2011
Head of the House of Thurn and Taxis
Period14 December 1990 – present
PredecessorJohannes
Heir presumptivePrince Max Emanuel
Born (1983-06-24) 24 June 1983
Regensburg, Bavaria, Germany
Full name
German: Albert Maria Lamoral Miguel Johannes Gabriel Prinz von Thurn und Taxis
HouseThurn and Taxis
FatherJohannes, 11th Prince of Thurn and Taxis
MotherCountess Gloria of Schönburg-Glauchau
ReligionRoman Catholic
Thurn und Taxis
Extended family

Biography

Family

Through descent from king Miguel I of Portugal, Albert is related to several reigning hereditary heads of state in Europe. He also descends from the dynasties of Wittelsbach, Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, Braganza and the House of Habsburg-Lorraine.[3]:536–540, 778[4] The House of Thurn und Taxis is a German family whose fortune derives from the appointment of an ancestor, Leonhard von Taxis, as hereditary postmaster general of the Holy Roman Empire in 1595.[4] Albert's father preceded him as the head of this family, which has several branches.[4] The family of Thurn und Taxis remains well known as owners of breweries[6] and former builders of castles.[5] The family seat is Saint Emmeram's Abbey.

His father, Johannes, 11th Prince of Thurn and Taxis, an internationally renowned boulevardier, died in 1990 when Albert was seven years old, leaving the young boy to inherit a US$3 billion fortune and US$500 million in debts.[5] His mother, Gloria (née Countess von Schönburg-Glauchau), a popular media figure since marriage to his 53-year-old father as a 20-year-old, was instrumental in preserving the family fortune until Albert became of legal age to take over its management.[5] He has two older sisters: Princess Maria Theresia and Princess Elisabeth.[5]

Education

Thurn und Taxis completed his high school education in Rome and then, after his military service, he studied economics and theology at the University of Edinburgh.

Media attention
Prince Albert in 2008

In 2008 Albert was included as 11th on the list of the Forbes Magazine's List of The 20 Hottest Young Royals as compiled by Forbes magazine.[2]

Motorsport

He is an enthusiastic racing driver, vice-champion (2007/2008) and champion (2010) of the German GT Championship ADAC GT Masters with the German Team Reiter Engineering.[7]

He embarked on a career in rallying in 2009, competing in the European Rally Championship since 2016.[8]

Titles, styles and honours

Since former hereditary titles are only recognised in German law as part of the surname, in accordance with the Weimar Constitution of 1919, family members include the title as an integral part of their name in the form, Prinz von Thurn und Taxis. According to family tradition Albert Prinz von Thurn und Taxis followed his father, in accordance with the rules of the legal affairs committee of the Association of German Nobility (Deutscher Adelsrechtsausschuß), in the nominal succession as "head" of the former German princely House of Thurn and Taxis. As such, he is sometimes styled by the traditional title, Fürst von Thurn und Taxis (Prince of Thurn and Taxis).

Titles and styles

Traditional:[4]

  • 28 June 1983 – 14 December 1990: His Serene Highness Prince Albert of Thurn and Taxis.
  • 14 December 1990 – present: His Serene Highness the Prince of Thurn and Taxis.

Dynastic honours

Honours of non-reigning families

Racing record

Complete GT1 World Championship results
Year Team Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Pos Points
2012 Reiter Engineering Lamborghini NOG
QR
3
 NOG
CR
8
 ZOL
QR
Ret
 ZOL
CR
8
 NAV
QR
12
 NAV
QR
14
 SVK
QR
2
 SVK
CR
Ret
 ALG
QR
13
 ALG
CR
Ret
 SVK
QR
11
 SVK
CR
Ret
 MOS
QR		 MOS
CR		 NUR
QR		 NUR
CR		 DON
QR		 DON
CR		 18th 18
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References
  1. In 1919 royalty and nobility were mandated to lose their privileges in Germany, hereditary titles were to be legally borne thereafter only as part of the surname, according to Article 109 of the Weimar Constitution. Styles such as majesty and highness were not retained. Archived 24 July 2015 at the Wayback Machine
  2. "The 20 Hottest Young Royals - 11. Prince Albert". Forbes. 27 May 2008. Retrieved 4 June 2008.
  3. Willis, Daniel. The Descendants of Louis XIII. Clearfield, 1999, Baltimore, US. ISBN 0-8063-4942-5.
  4. Genealogisches Handbuch des Adels: Furstliche Hauser Band XIX. Limburg an der Lahn: C. A. Starke Verlag. 2011. pp. 369, 382–383, 385–386. ISBN 978-3-7980-0849-6.
  5. "The Conversation of Gloria TNT". Vanity Fair. June 2006. Retrieved 26 June 2015.
  6. https://www.thurnundtaxisbiere.de
  7. https://www.adac-gt-masters.de/uk/fahrerportrait-2011/albert-von-thurn-und-taxis-1635/
  8. https://www.ewrc-results.com/profile/12891-albert-von-thurn-und-taxis/
  9. "09/10/2008 (London) Mass and Investiture at the". Constantinianorder.org. 9 October 2008. Archived from the original on 21 July 2015. Retrieved 13 November 2016.
Albert, 12th Prince of Thurn and Taxis
Cadet branch of the House of Tassis
Born: 24 June 1983
German nobility
Preceded by
Johannes		 Prince of Thurn and Taxis
14 December 1990 – present		 Incumbent
Heir:
Prince Max Emanuel
Sporting positions
Preceded by
Christian Abt		 ADAC GT Masters Champion
2010 with:
Peter Kox		 Succeeded by
Dino Lunardi
Alexandros Margaritis

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