Princess Louise was born in 1800 to the wealthy Duke of Saxe Gotha Altenburg. Her mother died young and Louise's future marriage to the much older Duke Ernst Saxe Coburg Saalfeld was orchestrated by her family. Louise bore two sons: Ernst and Albert – the future Prince Consort of Victoria. But Louise's marriage turned sour. Over a few years she was banished, divorced, deprived of access to her children and died at the young age of 31. Her reputation was destroyed – but how much was deserved and how much the conniving influence of the family she married into?
To the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Louise was key to its success as one of the leading noble families in the world. Through Albert's marriage to Queen Victoria and their offspring they secured the most important thrones of Europe.
One question remains to be answered: was Albert the legitimate son of Ernst?