Prince John/Johnnie (son of George V and Queen Mary)

[Eddie_uk]

Very interesting, thank you for sharing!! Charlotte Bill seemed such a lovely lady! I am glad the article didn't start slating Queen Mary as a mother too!

[RoyalWatcher]

She was a godsend for the York children. I believe the Royal Family treated her quite well when she retired with a grace-in-favor home and a pension. I would love to travel back in time to have a cuppa and a chat with her. Lovely woman.

[Selencia]

I wish more about Prince John was being discussed in the circles who love history and British history as well. I have seen far to often that people still assume that Prince John was an embarrassment to his parents so they locked him away and never saw him again. I was stunned when reading up on the situation a few years ago that that couldn't be farther from the truth. George and Mary were not the best parents and they were famously cold and awkward with all their children; why this supposed awkwardness is highlighted even more with Prince John irritates me. If they did in fact treat him coldly it would show that he was treated no differently than his siblings.

[Ian (UK)]

   I think the assumption that Prince John was an embarrassment to his parents was mainly brought about by the Poliakoff film. Maybe Poliakoff was a little too harsh on the characters of George & Mary, but I forgive him as it was an excellent film. Another assumption is that Prince John was attempted to be written out of history by the royal family. I believe this came about shortly after his death when his name did not appear in an official royal biography, (I will have to check which one). In this case I would say it was more a genuine mistake not deception, though as usual in popular culture I suspect George & Mary will pick up the tab.

[Kalafrana]

I think we have to remember that John was epileptic, and there is a small but significant incidence of death from epileptic fits (indeed John himself died as the result of a fit). At that time, before the development of anti-convulsant drugs, the only means of preventin fits was to try to prevent the triggers, so a quiet life in the country was a perfectly reasonable solution.

Ann

[feodorovna]

I'm no advocate of George and Mary's parenting skills, but in their defence, as well as causing them embarrassment, as all forms of mental illness did in those days, I'm certain they would not have wanted their son turned into a public spectacle. As for him being written out of history, he was hardly old enough to have had time to do anything worthy of more than just an odd mention and so far down the pecking order of Royal chicks as to be almost insignificant.
My father was left with epilepsy following a stroke and despite medication, fits were an ever present threat which on occasions manifested themselves. Thankfully, we live in a village where he was known so he was never accused of being drunk or whisked away in an ambulance. On one occasion, away from his home, he couldn't recall taking his medication, My heart sank but I told him not to worry.With the most wicked of grins, he reminded me that there was nothing he could do about it, and what ever occured, I would have to cope with. Luckily, that time, we got away with it!!

[Janet Ashton]

  I think the assumption that Prince John was an embarrassment to his parents was mainly brought about by the Poliakoff film.

I don't. It was a view I'd heard and read long before his play; all I think he did was bring it to a larger audience which had not heard of John before.  So you can forgive him! :-)

[Ian (UK)]

   OUCH - I did say mainly didn't I 

   I'm sure you are correct Janet, though I was under the impression the main turning point regarding this issue was a date nearer the making of "The Lost Prince", and also in a publication of the " Independent" in which Prince John was supposedly rediscovered. However this article was immediately trashed by Elsie Hollingsworth a childhood friend of Prince John, who said of it.

There was an article about Prince John & I was very angry about it and upset, because it said he was locked away, neglected, unhappy, & lonely. It was so untrue because he was a happy little boy.

   If there had been reports over the years in the public domain, of embarrassed royal parents locking a child away, would she not have come forward sooner ? .........Its just a question.

   NOTE- The source for the quote          PRINCE JOHN THE WINDSORS TRAGIC SECRET  24/8/09 Channel 4

[cebi26]

Was Johnnie close to any sibling?

[Kalafrana]

Apparently the Duke of Kent, who was the nearest in age, was close to him. The two eldest had little to do with him, simply because of the age gap, which meant that they were mainly away from home from when John was quite small.

Ann

[cebi26]

Thank you for the reply!