Prince Albert is an American brand of tobacco, introduced by the R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company in 1907.[1] It has been owned since 1987 by John Middleton Inc.[2]
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Prince Albert is one of the more popular independent brands of pipe tobacco in the United States; in the 1930s, it was the "second largest money-maker" for Reynolds.[3] More recently, it has also become available in the form of pipe-tobacco cigars. (A 1960s experiment with filtered cigarettes was deemed a failure.[4]) The blend is burley-based and remains one of America's top-selling pipe tobaccos.
The tobacco was personally named by R. J. Reynolds after Edward VII, who was known as Prince Albert before being crowned King.[5] For some time after Prince Albert had become King Edward VII, the can bore the additional words "Now King" under the portrait, which was based on one acquired by Reynolds at a tea party with Mark Twain.[5]
The Van Dyke Parks song Clang of the Yankee Reaper references the tobacco with the line "The sun never set on the Empire / Prince Albert came in a can."
Prince Albert's cigars are available in packs of 5. Prince Albert's pipe tobacco is available in 1.5 ounce pouches and 14 ounce tins.
The brand is the basis of a practical joke, usually made in the form of a prank call. The prankster typically calls a store and asks if they have "Prince Albert in a can." When the unsuspecting clerk responds "yes" (because the tobacco is typically packaged in a can, though other forms of packaging also existed), the caller follows up with, "Well, you'd better let him out!" or "Then why don't you let him out!?"[6][7]
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