Albert_II,_Prince_of_Thurn_and_Taxis

Albert von Thurn und Taxis

Albert von Thurn und Taxis

German aristocrat and race car driver

Albert, 12th Prince of Thurn and Taxis (Albert Maria Lamoral Miguel Johannes Gabriel Fürst von Thurn und Taxis,[1] pronounced [ˈalbɛʁt maˈʁiːa lamoˈʁal miˈɡɛl joˈhanəs ˈɡaːbʁieːl fʏʁst fɔn ˈtʊʁn ʔʊnt ˈtaksɪs]; 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 eight years old.[2]

Quick Facts Head of the House of Thurn and Taxis, Period ...

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 von Thurn und 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. Prince Albert completed a doctorate in philosophy at the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum) in 2022, defending a dissertation entitled: Rational Nature Or Wishful Thinking? Freedom & Rationality in Aquinas And Their Medieval Critique.[7]

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.[8]

He embarked on a career in rallying in 2009, competing in the European Rally Championship since 2016.[9]

Honours

Dynastic honours

Racing record

Complete GT1 World Championship results

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Complete World Rally Championship results

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Complete World Rally Championship-3 results

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References

  1. [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. [2]
    "The 20 Hottest Young Royals – 11. Prince Albert". Forbes. 27 May 2008. Retrieved 4 June 2008.
  3. [3]
    Willis, Daniel. The Descendants of Louis XIII. Clearfield, 1999, Baltimore, US. ISBN 0-8063-4942-5.
  4. [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. [5]
    "The Conversation of Gloria TNT". Vanity Fair. June 2006. Retrieved 26 June 2015.
  6. [6]
    "Thurn und Taxis Internet1". Archived from the original on 9 June 2002.
  7. [7]
    "Ad Lauream Assequendam in Philosophia Thurn und Taxis Albert Doctoralem Dissertationem".
  8. [8]
    "ADAC GT Masters | ADAC Motorsport". adac-motorsport.de (in German).
  9. [9]
    "Albert von Thurn und Taxis – rally profile eWRC-results.com". eWRC-results.com.
  10. [10]
    "Prince Albert". Thurn und Taxis family website. Retrieved 18 April 2024.
  11. [11]
    "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.
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