Albert The Good Statue - Queens Square - Hyde Park Barracks Vicinity - Sydney - NSW
This statue of Albert the Good by English sculptor William Theed (1804-91) stands in Queens Square however, when it was first unveiled by the Governor Sir John Young in April 1866, it was located at the entrance to Hyde Park. Albert the Good was the Prince Consort, the husband of Queen Victoria. During World War I, moves were made to have the statue removed as Prince Albert was a German, and anti-German sentiment was running high at the time. Those arguing for the statue's removal also pointed out that Prince Albert had never set foot on Australian soil and had done nothing to promote or assist in Australia's development (hardly the truth). The statue was moved to an out of the way corner of the Botanical Gardens. After the war, it was moved to its present location opposite the one of his partner, Queen Victoria, and managed to survive another demand for its removal during World War II
his statue of Albert the Good by English sculptor William Theed (1804-91) stands in Queens Square however, when it was first unveiled by the Governor Sir John Young in April 1866, it was located at the entrance to Hyde Park. Albert the Good was the Prince Consort, the husband of Queen Victoria. During World War I, moves were made to have the statue removed as Prince Albert was a German, and anti-German sentiment was running high at the time. Those arguing for the statue's removal also pointed out that Prince Albert had never set foot on Australian soil and had done nothing to promote or assist in Australia's development (hardly the truth). The statue was moved to an out of the way corner of the Botanical Gardens. After the war, it was moved to its present location opposite the one of his partner, Queen Victoria, and managed to survive another demand for its removal during World War II.
Prince Albert Road
Forming the eastern half of the semi-circle of road at the northern end of Hyde Park, Prince Albert Road serves no particular purpose than to provide balance and contrast to St James Road. Its name seems appropriate, given that it honours Albert the Good, the German born Consort and husband of Queen Victoria, who many believe served no particular regal purpose than to provide balance and contrast to Queen Victoria. The connection between Queen Victoria and Prince Albert accounts for the naming of Prince Albert Road, given its relationship with Queens Square. Queen Victoria is thought to have given him his title because he was German and not English, so their would have been some concern over the Queen marrying a foreigner. The title "Albert the Good" would have been part of Royal propaganda to winning the people around with the assurance that he was real a good fellow.
Prince Albert never visited Australia and was little known in this country except for his straight-laced moral attitude, his devotion to his wife and her deep love for him. He was the mastermind of the Crystal Palace exhibition of 1851 which triggered a succession of imitative expositions around the British Empire including one in Sydney and another in Melbourne. He contracted typhoid fever and died shortly before Christmas 1861. Prince Albert's death devastated Queen Victoria who suffered a nervous breakdown. For the rest of her life she slept with a photo above her head, taken of him as he lay dead, and had his clothes laid out on the bed. The basin in his room was filled with fresh water every day until her death.
