The secret story of Prince John, Queen Elizabeth’s forgotten uncle

The stories of the royal families all hide gods secrets and the British royal family is no exception. The tv series The Crown has told someone about it: the schizophrenia of Alice of Battenbergmother of the prince Philipand the mental disease of two cousins first degree of the same Queen Elizabeth, interned in a psychiatric institution. But there is another skeleton that the Windsors have always held up well locked in the closetand is the story of the Prince Johnsaid Johnny in the family, died in his sleep at the age of 13.

Last of the six sons of kings George V and the queen Mary, John, if he had survived, would have been the uncle of the current sovereign. But very little is known about himnot only because he died when he was practically a child, but above all because suffered from epilepsy in a historical epoch in which the disease, in particular if linked to the psychic sphere, was one stigma. Even more in one royal lineage which should have guaranteed a solid lineage and a firm throne.

John instead from an early age turned out to be fragile and its frequent seizures they were considered one shameful weakness for the reputation of the royal family, as much as a danger for the monarchy itself. Thus his existence was kept almost literally hidden. The few photo that remain of him mostly portray him in swaddling clothes in the arms of the mother queen consort, or very small when the disease had not yet manifested itself with vehemence.

Came into the world on July 12, 1905, John appears perfectly healthy at birth. But around the age of four she begins to show i first signs of his illness: does not grow and complains frequently unexplained pains. Until, one day, she has the first convulsions and the doctors’ verdict is irrefutable: epilepsy.

For John that diagnosis is a sentence. Also because the situation soon worsened. A form of autism is added to epilepsy – disorder at the time still unknown – which leads to having behavioral disorders and learning difficulties. “All my children are good and obedient, except John,” he confides, during a meeting with the American president Theodore Roosevelt, his father King George. Which, however fails to punish that son, although I fear that he may behave badly with some illustrious guest or with a passing dignitary and even go as far as, with his behavior, to unleash some diplomatic crisis: he wouldn’t do it voluntarily, sure, but John has no sense of proportion and says and does everything that comes to mindwithout having the slightest consideration Manners that govern the life of his family.

Despite all this, however, John is a beloved childhis brothers adore him and, under the close supervision of the nanny Charlotte Billcalled Lala, also manages to lead an average normal existence. But the seizures become more and more frequent and when his father was crowned king in 1911, doctors forbid the prince to attend the ceremony. “Her crises could scare other children” writes her nanny in her diary, “we don’t dare leave him alone with his brothers and sister.”

John is thus sent to Sandringhamaccompanied only by Mrs. Bill, and slowly removed from public and family life. Up to even disappear from official portraits: erased while it is still alive, as if it never existed. What’s more, in Sandringham it’s just: he no longer sees his brotherssent to the most prestigious schools in the country and especially removed from London at the first breath of war winds, e his parents are too busy with state affairs to follow him.

The nanny takes care of himwho never leaves him, and his only company is that of boys of the villagewho occasionally go to see him and to play with him. These are very difficult years. But they are also short. On January 18, 1919, just after the First World War, Prince John has a particularly serious nocturnal crisis and dies in his sleep at the age of 13. The parents, although called immediately to his bedside, do not have time to greet him: when they arrive, their youngest son is already dead.

The official announcement is made two days later on the Daily Mirrorwhich for the first time he mentions his disease, but few remember the little prince who lived in hiding. “It was a huge shock to us and poor Lala was heartbroken. But it was also a relief. Now little John seems to be finally at peace, ”Queen Mary wrote in her diary on the day of her burial at Sandringham, where he still rests.

The funeral ceremony took place in a strictly private form, but the child who had been forgotten in life today he is remembered every year by the niece he never metand that has always led the family to spend the end of year holidays there where he had lived in solitude.