Prince Albert was founded in 1762 on a farm called Queekvalleij that had been on loan to Zacharias and Dina de Beer since 1762. Originally known as Albertsburg, when it obtained municipal status in 1845 it was renamed Prince Albert in honour of Queen Victoria's consort, Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg.Prince Albert has a small local population, mainly engaged in farming and tourism. The village has many authentic Cape Dutch, Karoo and Victorian buildings, thirteen of which are National Monuments.