On Thursday, His Highness Prince Hubertus of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha attended the opening of the conference, England in Thüringen: Kunst, Sport, Gärten und Architektur, held at Schloss Reinhardsbrunn in the German Free State of Thuringia.

The three-day conference brought together British and German historians, researchers, and cultural specialists to examine the historical and cultural relationship between the United Kingdom and Thuringia, with particular attention given to the dynastic connection associated with the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.

In remarks delivered during the opening of the conference, Prince Hubertus cited the marriage of Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha to Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland in 1840, describing the union as one of the most significant historical links between the United Kingdom and the German duchies of Thuringia. Through the marriage, the British royal house adopted the dynastic name Saxe-Coburg and Gotha until King George V changed the name to Windsor on July 17th, 1917, during the First World War.

According to organizers, the conference examines the broader cultural influence of Anglo-German dynastic relations from the 18th century onward, including their impact on architecture, landscape design, collecting traditions, literature, sport, and scientific exchange.

The conference was formally opened at the recently restored chapel of Schloss Reinhardsbrunn and attended by representatives from German cultural institutions and the British diplomatic community, including the Ambassador of the United Kingdom to the Federal Republic of Germany, Andrew Mitchell.

Organizers stated that the conference forms part of preparations for a larger cultural and tourism initiative planned for 2029 and 2030, intended to promote public awareness of the historic relationship between the German state of Thuringia and the United Kingdom through exhibitions, research projects, and cultural programming across the region.

The historical relationship between the United Kingdom and the former duchies of Thuringia remains closely associated with the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, whose descendants continue to reign in or descend from several European royal houses, including the British royal family and the royal family of Belgium.