Prince William of Gloucester facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Prince William |
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William in 1971
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| Born | 18 December 1941 Hadley Common, Barnet, Hertfordshire, England |
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| Died | 28 August 1972 (aged 30) Halfpenny Green, Staffordshire, England |
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| Burial | 2 September 1972 Royal Burial Ground, Frogmore, Windsor, Berkshire |
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| House | Windsor | ||||
| Father | Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester | ||||
| Mother | Lady Alice Montagu Douglas Scott | ||||
| Alma mater | |||||
Prince William of Gloucester (William Henry Andrew Frederick; born December 18, 1941 – died August 28, 1972) was a member of the British royal family. He was the older son of Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester, and Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester. This made him a grandson of George V and a first cousin of Elizabeth II. When he was born, he was fourth in line to the throne. At the time of his death, he was ninth in line.
Prince William studied at Cambridge and Stanford. After his studies, he worked for the British government in Lagos and Tokyo. Later, he returned to the UK to take on royal duties. He loved adventure, flying planes, exploring the Sahara desert, and even hot air ballooning.
He was the most recent person from the family of George III to have a condition called porphyria. This hereditary illness is thought to have caused King George III's mental health problems.
Prince William died in 1972 at the age of 30. He was killed in a plane crash while flying in a competition.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Prince William was born in Hadley Common, Hertfordshire, England. His father was Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester, who was the third son of King George V. His mother was Alice, Duchess of Gloucester.
He was christened at Windsor Castle in February 1942. His godparents included King George VI (his uncle) and Queen Mary (his grandmother). Because of World War II, newspapers did not share the exact location of his christening.
When William was born, his father was away serving in the military. King George VI promised to look after Prince William if anything happened to his brother.
In 1947, Prince William was a page boy at the wedding of his cousin, Princess Elizabeth. He also attended her coronation in 1953.
William spent his early years at Barnwell Manor in Northamptonshire. He also lived in Canberra, Australia, from 1945 to 1947. This was because his father was the Governor-General there.
After returning to England, he went to Wellesley House School. Then he studied at Eton College. He was good at junior cricket and football there. In 1960, he went to Magdalene College, Cambridge, to study history. He earned his first degree in 1963. He later spent a year at Stanford University in the United States. There, he studied political science and business.
His Career and Royal Duties
After finishing his studies, Prince William worked for a bank called Lazards.
He was one of the first members of the royal family to work in the government's diplomatic service. In 1965, he joined the Commonwealth Office. He was sent to Lagos, Nigeria, to work at the British High Commission. In 1968, he moved to Tokyo, Japan, to work at the British Embassy.
By 1970, his father's health was getting very bad. Prince William had to leave his job in the diplomatic service. He returned to Britain to help manage his father's estate and take on royal duties. On his way back, he represented the Queen in Tonga.
For the next two years, he managed Barnwell Manor. He also started doing public duties as a full-time royal prince. He took over many events his father could no longer attend. William was very interested in St John Ambulance and became very active there. He also supported many other groups, including the National Ski Federation and the Royal African Society.
Prince William also served as a Counsellor of State when the Queen was away.
His Personality
Friends described Prince William as very adventurous. Sometimes, he was even a bit reckless. He was also known for being warm, kind, and very generous. People often said he was very loyal to his friends. One story says he was especially kind to friends who were sick or unpopular.
He had a very close bond with his parents. He once said his mother had "no faults at all." He also loved his father very much. William felt lucky that his parents gave him a lot of freedom. He knew his father had a very strict upbringing.
Prince William had a hereditary health condition called porphyria. This condition can cause skin problems, especially when exposed to sunlight. Doctors diagnosed him with this condition in 1968. It is believed that this same illness affected King George III many years ago.
His Tragic Death
Prince William was a skilled pilot. He owned several aircraft and enjoyed competing in air races. He was also the President of the British Light Aviation Centre.
On August 28, 1972, he was taking part in the Goodyear International Air Trophy. This race was held at Halfpenny Green near Wolverhampton. His friend, Vyrell Mitchell, was a passenger in his plane.
Soon after taking off, at a very low height, his Piper Cherokee plane suddenly turned sharply. It lost height quickly and hit a tree. The wing broke off, and the plane crashed into a bank of earth. It then burst into flames. Prince William and Vyrell Mitchell were both killed instantly.
About 30,000 people watched the crash. The fire took two hours to put out. The bodies were identified the next day using dental records.
Prince William's father, Prince Henry, was very ill at the time. His mother decided not to tell him about their son's death. However, she later thought he might have found out from watching television news.
Prince William was buried at the Royal Burial Ground, Frogmore. A school he opened in 1971 was renamed Prince William School in his memory.
William was the next in line to inherit his father's titles, like Duke of Gloucester. After his death, his younger brother, Prince Richard, became the heir. Prince Richard later inherited these titles in 1974. Prince William was the first grandchild of King George V and Queen Mary to pass away.
Titles and Honours
Titles and Styles
- 18 December 1941 – 28 August 1972: His Royal Highness Prince William of Gloucester
Honours
- Counsellor of State, 1962–1971
Knight of Justice of the Order of St John (KStJ), 1969- Commander-in-Chief of the St John Ambulance Brigade, 1968
- Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society (FRGS), 1971
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Arms
For his 21st birthday in 1962, Prince William was allowed to use the Royal Arms. His coat of arms had a special white label with five points. The outer and middle points had red lions. The inner points had red crosses.
