 Ferdinand was born at Coburg as "Prince Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld", the second son of Francis, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld and his second wife, Countess Augusta Caroline Sophie of Reuss-Ebersdorf.In 1826 his title changed from "Prince of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld" to "Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha", when his brother Duke Ernst I made a territorial exchange with other members of the family.Ferdinand's nephews and nieces included Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom and her husband Prince Albert, as well as Empress Carlota of Mexico, and her brother King Leopold II of Belgium.