'Other' Prince William's tragic life from forbidden love to tragic plane crash
Over the years, members of the Royal Family have died in many tragic and unexpected ways. Among the most shocking is the death of Prince William of Gloucester on August 28, 1972.
Well-known for his love of daredevil activities such as flying and ballooning, the royal is now frequently referred to as 'the other Prince William' and would be the current Duke of Gloucester if tragedy hadn't struck 51 years ago. Prince William Henry Andrew Frederick was born in Barnet, Hertfordshire on December 18, 1941 to Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester and Alice, Duchess of Gloucester. He was a grandson of King George V, a nephew of King George VI and first cousins with Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Margaret.
Prince William with his father Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester (Getty)He was educated at Wellesley Prep School, Eton College, and Magdalene College, Cambridge, and spent a further year at Stanford University in California studying political science, American history and business. In 1965, the prince started working for the Commonwealth Office. He worked in Lagos as the third secretary at the British High Commission. In 1968, the Prince was transferred to Tokyo, Japan as the second secretary in the British Embassy.
He is said to have enjoyed his life, free from royal duties and strict protocol. He even met the woman he intended to marry - Zsuzsi Starkloff - had she been deemed appropriate in royal circles. But sadly, his love wasn't deemed suitable to be a royal bride at the time as she was a twice-divorced Jewish and Hungarian mother of two young children. It is believed that Princess Margaret was sent to Japan to encourage him to think about his duties over the relationship.
Prince William carried a rare royal disease and died in a plane crash (Getty)Any long-term plans came crashing down for William and Starkloff in 1970, when his father the Duke of Gloucester began suffering numerous strokes. He had to return to the UK to manage his father’s estate and take on duties as a full-time working royal. In 1972, Prince William was competing in the Goodyear International Air Trophy and his mother was sitting in the stands to watch her son take part. Shortly after take-off, he lost control of the plane at a low altitude causing the wing to hit a tree and burst into flames. His body was identified the following day through dental records.
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He was well-known as a daredevil prince abde enjoyed several dangerous hobbies, such as flying, ballooning and hiking in the Sahara Desert. At the time of his death, he was only 30 and ninth-in-line to the throne. His tragic death made him the first grandchild of King George V and Queen Mary to die.
It was also revealed the prince was a carrier for a disease called porphyria. Porphyria is the illness famously associated with King George III and his 'madness'. Other royals believed to have suffered from it it include Mary, Queen of Scots, King James I and Queen Victoria’s eldest daughter, Princess Victoria. Prince William was greatly admired by his family, none more so than by his second cousin, King Charles. When he became a father for the first time in 1982, Charles named his first son in honour of his memory.
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