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Privacy NoticeThe Royal Family has weathered scandals, wars, and even abdication throughout almost 1,000 years of history. While some members of the family will never be forgotten thanks to their triumphs or by scandals they were involved in, some have faded into obscurity and deserve to be pulled into the spotlight. One of these people is Prince John – the youngest son of King George V, and, as a result King Charles’ great uncle. Dubbed ‘The forgotten son of the House of Windsor’, Prince John’s story is tragic and, in many ways, his life and memory has shaped the Royal Family’s future.
Prince John was born 119 years ago on 12 July, 1905
(Image: Getty)
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Born on July 12, 1905, at York Cottage in the Sandringham Estate, Norfolk, Prince John Charles Francis was christened ‘John’, despite the name’s superstitious past within the royal circles, but affectionately called ‘Johnnie’ by his kin. At his arrival, his parents held the titles of Prince and Princess of Wales, and his grandfather reigned as King Edward VII, making him a great-grandson to Queen Victoria. John was quite the handful, famously described by his father during a chat with US President Theodore Roosevelt as the exception to his otherwise obedient children: “All [his] children [were] obedient, except John”.
Prince John as a baby in Queen Mary’s arms pictured with King George V and his siblings (L-R) Princess Mary, Prince George, Prince Edward, Prince Albert and Prince Henry (seated)
(Image: Getty)
By the time he turned four in 1909, Prince John was described as “winsome” and “painfully slow” and it was then that he experienced his first epileptic seizure. Experts now believe he may have had a severe form of autism. Despite being a regular fixture at public events until the age of 11, Prince John’s behaviour raised concerns, leading to his absence from his parents’ coronation in 1911.
Prince John died at the age of 13 in 1919
(Image: The Print Collector)
World War I meant even less public visibility for Prince John, as his parents were preoccupied with royal duties. After 1913, no more official portraits of him were commissioned. The prince’s health deteriorated in 1916, with increasing epileptic seizures prompting his move to Wood Farm under the care of his governess Charlotte “Lala” Bill, away from the public eye. Doctors doubted he would survive into adulthood. Prince John enjoyed Christmas Day 1918 with his family at Sandringham House but returned to Wood Farm that evening.
Prince John’s life was dramatized in Stephen Poliakoff’s 2003 film ‘The Lost Prince’
(Image: BBC)
His governess, ‘Lala’ Bill, expressed the heartache of the situation: “We dared not let him be with his brothers and sister, because it upsets them so much, with the attacks getting so bad and coming so often.” Tragically, on January 18, 1919, Prince John passed away in his sleep at Wood Farm after a severe seizure. He rests at St Mary Magdalene Church in Norfolk. His brief life is depicted in Stephen Poliakoff’s 2003 film, ‘The Lost Prince’ and it has been pointed out that the name John will likely not be used for another royal baby in the future owing to the bad luck associated with it.Story SavedYou can find this story in My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right.Follow OK! MagazineFacebookTwitterCommentMore OnKing George VRoyal FamilyQueen Elizabeth IIKing Charles IIISandringham
