EliseLadyofLancaster
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- Aug 2, 2003
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Tender letters from the 'Lost Prince'
By Andrew Alderson
(Filed: 12/01/2003)
A newly-discovered collection of letters and photographs has provided a fascinating insight into the troubled life of Prince John, who, had he lived beyond the age of 13, would have been the Queen's uncle.
The memorabilia has surfaced, coincidentally, just days before a £5.5 million drama on the prince is screened by the BBC. The Lost Prince will tell the story of the sixth and youngest child of George V and Queen Mary, who died, aged 13, in 1919, from a severe epileptic fit.
The letters were written and the photographs taken at Sandringham, the Royal Family's private estate in Norfolk where the prince spent much of his life hidden from the public because of his epilepsy and backwardness.
The memorabilia reveals that Prince John wrote short but thoughtful and affectionate notes using large, joined letters. They were written shortly before his death.
The collection is worth thousands of pounds but, because of its Royal origins, is unlikely to be offered for sale. It belongs to Anne Sharp, from Kent, who inherited it from her mother, Winifred Thomas who died in 1980, aged 75. As a child, Mrs Thomas had befriended the young prince when he lived at Sandringham.
Winifred, who was the same age as the prince and the niece of a groom, George Stratton, at Sandringham, became his closest companion. They spent a great deal of time cycling and travelling by pony and trap around the royal estate.
One short, undated letter from the prince to Mr Stratton, inquired how he was as he recovered from a broken arm. Written on Royal crested notepaper, it reads: "Dear Mr Stratto. I hope yor arm is better. Are you going to chaach. With my love from John."
One photograph shows Prince John wearing a smart, Royal Navy-style tunic and white trousers, sitting in a chair. Other photographs show him dressed in a smart, dark suit, smiling gently.
The existence of the letters and photographs has emerged because Mrs Sharp approached the BBC's Antiques Roadshow to get them valued. Clive Farahar, the programme's antiques expert who studied them, said he had never seen such a collection of memorabilia of Prince John. He estimated that the letter to Mr Stratton is worth up to £1,500 and each photograph is worth up to £700. Prince John is buried in the churchyard at Sandringham beneath a plain grey rounded tombstone of smoothed granite. On it are the simple words: "HRH Prince John, 1905-1919."
Prince John was one of five brothers, including the future Edward VIII and George VI and was fifth in line to the throne.
Prince John spent the last four years of his life at York Cottage on the Sandringham estate, where he was looked after by his devoted nurse, Charlotte "Lalla" Bill. When he travelled to London for a meeting with royal doctors, his car had its blinds drawn in case he brought "disgrace" to the family by having a seizure in public.
The two-part BBC drama, written by Stephen Poliakoff, begins next Sunday. Mr Poliakoff said yesterday that he had studied more than half a dozen other letters written by Prince John, along with Queen Mary's diary, which are in the royal archive at Windsor.
George V had a reputation for being fierce, stern and prone to rages. Letters seen by Mr Poliakoff, however, suggest affection from Prince John towards his father. One, dated February 16, 1916, says: "Dear Papa, I'm sending a box of snowdrops for you which I have picked."
Anecdotes discovered by Mr Poliakoff suggest that Prince John was a sensitive boy who often took things said to him too literally. After the death of Edward VII, his grandfather, he was told that dead people "went on the wind". Days later, he was seen collecting leaves and when asked what he was doing replied: "Collecting grandpa's pieces."
Mr Poliakoff said there had been a mixed reaction from the Royal Family to Prince John's death. His eldest brother, later Edward VIII and the Duke of Windsor, said brutally that "the animal" had died and bemoaned the fact that the family had to mourn him.
Their mother, Queen Mary, however, wrote in her diary after the funeral: "Miss the dear child very much indeed." Gina McKee, the actress who plays Lalla Bill, said: "The pictures show him to be an attractive young chap, big wide open eyes, and someone who just clearly wanted friends. I was amazed when they turned up - I had no idea at all that they existed. His handwriting was big and bold and clearly readable, but it looked as if he'd had difficulty in getting his thoughts onto the page," she said.
Miss McKee plans to visit Prince John's grave at Sandringham. "It's somewhere that I'd really like to go, just to pay my respects."
By Andrew Alderson
(Filed: 12/01/2003)
A newly-discovered collection of letters and photographs has provided a fascinating insight into the troubled life of Prince John, who, had he lived beyond the age of 13, would have been the Queen's uncle.
The memorabilia has surfaced, coincidentally, just days before a £5.5 million drama on the prince is screened by the BBC. The Lost Prince will tell the story of the sixth and youngest child of George V and Queen Mary, who died, aged 13, in 1919, from a severe epileptic fit.
The letters were written and the photographs taken at Sandringham, the Royal Family's private estate in Norfolk where the prince spent much of his life hidden from the public because of his epilepsy and backwardness.
The memorabilia reveals that Prince John wrote short but thoughtful and affectionate notes using large, joined letters. They were written shortly before his death.
The collection is worth thousands of pounds but, because of its Royal origins, is unlikely to be offered for sale. It belongs to Anne Sharp, from Kent, who inherited it from her mother, Winifred Thomas who died in 1980, aged 75. As a child, Mrs Thomas had befriended the young prince when he lived at Sandringham.
Winifred, who was the same age as the prince and the niece of a groom, George Stratton, at Sandringham, became his closest companion. They spent a great deal of time cycling and travelling by pony and trap around the royal estate.
One short, undated letter from the prince to Mr Stratton, inquired how he was as he recovered from a broken arm. Written on Royal crested notepaper, it reads: "Dear Mr Stratto. I hope yor arm is better. Are you going to chaach. With my love from John."
One photograph shows Prince John wearing a smart, Royal Navy-style tunic and white trousers, sitting in a chair. Other photographs show him dressed in a smart, dark suit, smiling gently.
The existence of the letters and photographs has emerged because Mrs Sharp approached the BBC's Antiques Roadshow to get them valued. Clive Farahar, the programme's antiques expert who studied them, said he had never seen such a collection of memorabilia of Prince John. He estimated that the letter to Mr Stratton is worth up to £1,500 and each photograph is worth up to £700. Prince John is buried in the churchyard at Sandringham beneath a plain grey rounded tombstone of smoothed granite. On it are the simple words: "HRH Prince John, 1905-1919."
Prince John was one of five brothers, including the future Edward VIII and George VI and was fifth in line to the throne.
Prince John spent the last four years of his life at York Cottage on the Sandringham estate, where he was looked after by his devoted nurse, Charlotte "Lalla" Bill. When he travelled to London for a meeting with royal doctors, his car had its blinds drawn in case he brought "disgrace" to the family by having a seizure in public.
The two-part BBC drama, written by Stephen Poliakoff, begins next Sunday. Mr Poliakoff said yesterday that he had studied more than half a dozen other letters written by Prince John, along with Queen Mary's diary, which are in the royal archive at Windsor.
George V had a reputation for being fierce, stern and prone to rages. Letters seen by Mr Poliakoff, however, suggest affection from Prince John towards his father. One, dated February 16, 1916, says: "Dear Papa, I'm sending a box of snowdrops for you which I have picked."
Anecdotes discovered by Mr Poliakoff suggest that Prince John was a sensitive boy who often took things said to him too literally. After the death of Edward VII, his grandfather, he was told that dead people "went on the wind". Days later, he was seen collecting leaves and when asked what he was doing replied: "Collecting grandpa's pieces."
Mr Poliakoff said there had been a mixed reaction from the Royal Family to Prince John's death. His eldest brother, later Edward VIII and the Duke of Windsor, said brutally that "the animal" had died and bemoaned the fact that the family had to mourn him.
Their mother, Queen Mary, however, wrote in her diary after the funeral: "Miss the dear child very much indeed." Gina McKee, the actress who plays Lalla Bill, said: "The pictures show him to be an attractive young chap, big wide open eyes, and someone who just clearly wanted friends. I was amazed when they turned up - I had no idea at all that they existed. His handwriting was big and bold and clearly readable, but it looked as if he'd had difficulty in getting his thoughts onto the page," she said.
Miss McKee plans to visit Prince John's grave at Sandringham. "It's somewhere that I'd really like to go, just to pay my respects."
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