Albert, 12th Prince of Thurn and Taxis

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

Family

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. Albert's father preceded him as the head of this family, which has several branches. The family of Thurn und Taxis remains well known as owners of breweries and former builders of castles.

His father, Johannes, 11th Prince of Thurn and Taxis, an internationally renowned boulevardier, died in 1990 when he was seven years old, leaving Albert to inherit a US$3 billion fortune and US$500 million in debts. 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. He has two older sisters: Princess Maria Theresia and Princess Elisabeth.

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. 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.

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.

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:

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

National dynastic honour

• House of Thurn und Taxis: Grand Master Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Parfaite Amitié

Foreign honour

• Calabrian House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies: Knight Grand Cross of Justice of the Calabrian Two Sicilian Order of Saint George

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Through descent from king Miguel I of Portugal he is related to several reigning hereditary heads of state in Europe. He also descends from the dynasties of Wittelsbach, Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, Braganza, Wurttemberg, Mecklenburg, House of Habsburg-Lorraine, Liechtenstein and Oldenburg.:536–540, 778

Complete GT1 World Championship results