Rich, aristocratic – and allegedly still available: Prince Albert von Thurn und Taxis is considered one of the most sought-after bachelors in Europe. On June 24, 2023 he will be 40 years old and with that the pressure on the head of the well-known Regensburg family dynasty increases. Because he can’t produce an heir yet.
Male succession applies in the Princely House. So Albert came before his older sisters Maria Theresia (42) and Elisabeth (41). He was just seven years young when his father Johannes von Thurn und Taxis (1926-1990) died. His young widow, Albert’s mother, took over the administration of the entire property. Gloria von Thurn und Taxis (63) went from the flashy “punk princess” to an entrepreneur. With three children, she suddenly had to manage the business.
The noble family became rich as the inventors of the modern postal system and are among the largest private landowners in Germany. Thurn and Taxis own five castles and many companies. The headquarters, Schloss St. Emmeram in Regensburg, is larger than Buckingham Palace in London with more than 500 rooms. Princess Gloria opened up large sections to the public and introduced events such as the Castle Festival and the Christmas market to generate additional income. For a long time, Albert was considered Germany’s youngest billionaire and was included in the “Forbes” list of the richest people in the world for the first time at the age of eight. In 2021, Forbes estimated his fortune at $1.5 billion.
Running such a company and keeping it on track financially is a mammoth task. Albert’s sister Elisabeth once spoke to the “Süddeutsche Zeitung” about the fact that such an inheritance is not just a gift: “It also entails a lot of responsibility and can be an enormous burden.” She herself always wanted to leave Regensburg and do her own thing. “And I wouldn’t know what to do with a lock either.” Albert also spent a lot of time far away. He graduated from the German School in Rome and from 2004 to 2008 he studied economics and theology in Edinburgh. He then trained as a financial expert in Zurich. He then studied philosophy in Rome. He received his doctorate on November 7, 2022 and has since been officially allowed to call himself Doctor Prince of Thurn and Taxis. His doctoral thesis is entitled “Rational nature or wishful thinking? Freedom and rationality in Aquinas and their medieval critique”. Elisabeth celebrated and posted a photo to which she wrote: “May I introduce: Doctor Albert”.
The siblings are closely connected and should also regularly go on vacation together. Albert is considered a family man, but he has not yet started a family of his own. On the few official occasions where he appears, he usually comes with his mother. As shrill as his mother appeared in her first years as a princess in the 80s, Albert acts inconspicuously. He was sometimes even derided as “Prince Invisible”. His mother continued to run the business after he came of age in 2001, freeing him up for his extensive professional career and private interests.
He is said to still spend a lot of time in Rome, but it is not known exactly what he will be doing there after his doctorate. He has often been seen at racing events in recent years. The prince discovered this passion at the age of 17. In 2010 he won the championship title in the ADAC GT Masters in a Lamborghini. Even at an advanced age, the twelfth Prince of Thurn and Taxis still enjoys driving a racing car. Just two months ago he took part in the Lavanttal Rally in Wolfsberg, Austria. On Instagram he kept sharing snapshots of his big hobby until 2021.
However, the prince has never presented a woman at his side. He is said to have had a relationship of several years with the daughter of an Austrian building contractor. But this has never been officially confirmed. In 2015, Princess Gloria spoke in an RTL interview about a potential daughter-in-law: “I wish him a really happy marriage and simply the best woman in the world.” She hopes for a partner “who loves him and who also takes good care of him and pays attention to him”. Previously, she had liked to emphasize that she wanted a Catholic aristocrat at Albert’s side. For the 40th birthday, the topic could now become more present for the family – after all, the important question is what the future of the Thurn and Taxis family will look like.
