PBS: Friday 1 September at 8.30pm

Prince Albert: A Victorian Hero Revealed

Overshadowed by his wife, who would outlive him by several decades, and initially regarded with suspicion and hostility by the British public, Queen Victoria’s German consort has long remained a rather enigmatic figure.

Yet new historical evidence suggests that Prince Albert wielded considerable influence over the culture of his era, with his untimely death robbing the world of a forward-thinking reformer, a man of innovative ideas. However, making his voice heard in Victorian society had required a good deal of determination and tenacity.

Drawing upon over 20,000 of Albert’s private papers and photographs stored in Windsor Castle’s Round Tower, Professor Saul David examines how Albert would leave his imprint on the culture, governmental policy and even international relations of his adopted country.