Early life and studies upright|thumb|left|Charles Emmanuel, Prince of Carignano, father of Charles Albert upright|thumb|Maria Christina of Saxony, mother of Charles Albert Charles Albert was born at the Palazzo Carignano in Turin on 2 October 1798 to Charles Emmanuel, Prince of Carignano, and Maria Cristina of Saxony. His father was the great-great-great-grandson of Thomas Francis, Prince of Carignano, youngest legitimate son of Charles Emmanuel I, Duke of Savoy, and founder of the Carignano line of the House of Savoy. Since he did not belong to the main line of the House of Savoy his chances at birth of succeeding to the kingdom were slim. Although the reigning king, Charles Emmanuel IV, had no children, at his death the throne would pass to his brother Victor Emmanuel and then to the latter's son Charles Emmanuel. After that, in the line of succession there were two further brothers of Charles Emmanuel IV: Maurizio Giuseppe and Charles Felix. In 1799, two of these heirs died: the young Charles Emmanuel (aged only three years) and Maurizio Giuseppe (from malaria in Sardinia).
Early life and studies upright|thumb|left|Charles Emmanuel, Prince of Carignano, father of Charles Albert upright|thumb|Maria Christina of Saxony, mother of Charles Albert Charles Albert was born at the Palazzo Carignano in Turin on 2 October 1798 to Charles Emmanuel, Prince of Carignano, and Maria Cristi,na of Saxony. His father was the great-great-great-grandson of Thomas Francis, Prince of Carignano, youngest legitimate son of Charles Emmanuel I, Duke of Savoy, and founder of the Carignano line of the House of Savoy. Since he did not belong to the main line of the House of Savoy his chances at birth of succeeding to the kingdom were slim. Although the reigning king, Charles Emmanuel IV, had no children, at his death the throne would pass to his brother Victor Emmanuel and then to the latter's son Charles Emmanuel. After that, in the line of succession there were two further brothers of Charles Emmanuel IV: Maurizio Giuseppe and Charles Felix. In 1799 two of these heirs died: the young Charles Emmanuel (aged only three years) and Maurizio Giuseppe (from malaria in Sardinia).