Rev. [112] He admitted, however, that "the allegations of Prince Eddy's homosexuality must be treated cautiously. Here's a recap of the most dramatic moments from Monday night's game. She was suddenly in the lurch, having lost both a husband and a potential crownand she came up with a heartbreaking tribute. Its hard to imagine, but the reality was even more grotesque. The comments below have not been moderated. Catherine of Aragon was King Henry VIIIs first wife and longest-lasting Queen of England. Call for millions to take part in 'Homage of the People' to King Charles at the coronation sparks backlash NANA AKUA: Why I'm thrilled by the invitation to pledge my 'true allegiance' to King Charles III, MICK HUME: An oath of allegiance to the King? Although this is almost certainly untrue, it did force the Princes lawyers to admit he had some relations with the woman, tarnishing his name even further. The Leafs complete the comeback and defeat the Lightning in overtime of Game 4 to take a 3-1 series lead. St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle (2008). Even if Haddon's claim had been true, as with other illegitimate births it would have made no difference to the royal line of succession. As one commenter put it, it was, a scandal of the first magnitudeon the lips of every clubman.. Within weeks, Stowell was dead. She wrote, "I am sure the boy is as straight as a line Arthur does not the least know how or where the boy spends his time he believes the boy to be perfectly innocent. 2023 Secret Chamber Tours LTD. Albert Victor was born two months prematurely on 8 January 1864 at Frogmore House, Windsor, Berkshire. In short, it seemed like Albert was in for a life of comfort and joybut thats not at all what he got. Although historians have worked hard to rehabilitate Prince Alberts image today, he can never seem to shake off all the controversies he courted. Try his hand again at marriage to distract the public with a royal wedding. See e.g. *Disclaimer: The Jack the Ripper Tour contains graphic descriptions, stories and images that some people may find upsetting. In the season three finale, viewers were treated to the opening day of the . His tomb, by Alfred Gilbert, is "the finest single example of late 19th-century sculpture in the British Isles". Lets just, Entrancing Facts About Madame de Pompadour, France's Most Powerful Mistress, Tragic Facts About Catherine of Aragon, Henry VIIIs First Wife, Revealing Facts About Joi Lansing, The Forgotten Glamour Goddess, Funny Facts About Rodney Dangerfield, The King Who Got No Respect, Gaudy Facts About Alva Vanderbilt, The Gilded Age Queen, Cunning Facts About Bess of Hardwick, The Tudor Secret-Keeper. We want our readers to trust us. I still continue to have this tiresome glete which comes on at times, although at present it has stopped. Dancy Mason is the Editor-in-Chief at Factinate. Though Knights information had allegedly come from the grandson of Albert Victor and his anonymous wife, this theorymuch like Dr. Thomas Stowellsfailed to prove a single thing. "[69] In 1894, she married Tsar Nicholas II of Russia, another of Albert Victor's cousins. Seriously, everybody calm the heck down. Instead of lavishing the forlorn Mary of Teck with sympathies, Princesses Maud and Louise made it very clear that they thought Alberts not-so-old flame Princess Helene of Orleans was his one true love, and the most deserving of their empathy. [80], In 1891, Albert Victor wrote to Lady Sybil St Clair Erskine that he was in love once again, though he does not say with whom. Most of us can only dream of the life Prince Albert Victor was born into. In the first, Albert contracted syphilis from a prostitute during a trip to the West Indies. He died young and unexpectedly at the age of 42 in December 1861. Name: Albert Victor, Prince: Gender: M: Birthname: Albert Victor Christian Edward born on: 8 January 1864 at 20:58 (= 8:58 PM ) . The tomb is surrounded by an elaborate railing, with figures of saints. It is not known whether he had any sexual experiences at Cambridge, but partners of either sex would have been available. He became a special friend of the don Oscar Browning, who was notorious around campus for his wild parties and his habit of making pets of those undergraduates who were handsome and attractive. Ooh, spicy. [13] They toured the British Empire, accompanied by Dalton, visiting the Americas, the Falkland Islands, South Africa, Australia, Fiji, the Far East, Singapore, Ceylon, Aden, Egypt, the Holy Land and Greece. Despite the palaces best efforts, everybody who was anybody knew about Prince Alberts involvement with the fallen Lydia Miller. [63], During the trip, Albert Victor met Mrs. Margery Haddon, the wife of a civil engineer, Henry Haddon. In Gary Lovisi's parallel universe Sherlock Holmes pastiche, "The Adventure of the Missing Detective" in Sherlock Holmes: The Hidden Years, Albert Victor is portrayed as a tyrannical king, who rules after the deaths (in suspicious circumstances) of both his grandmother and father. And then Albert sent poor Mary a cruel message from beyond the grave. When he succumbed to his illness, the rights of succession naturally passed to his younger brother George, who eventually became King George V. But that wasnt all George took from him: Just a year after his brothers passing, George also wed Mary of Teck. This theory first came to light in 1962, in a book written by Phillippe Julien. Prince Albert Victor got a funeral deserving of the eldest son of the British royal family. Jack the Ripper was released in 1988 with Marc Culwick as Prince Albert Victor. Day, Peter and Ungoed-Thomas, John (27 November 2005), "Letters to the King: Haddon bound over". [99] Princess Mary wrote to Queen Victoria of the Princess of Wales, "the despairing look on her face was the most heart-rending thing I have ever seen. The experience is nothing short of horrific. [77] Hlne later became Duchess of Aosta. The trouble with Prince Eddy: Britain's fascinating 'lost' king. Whats more, Dr Stowell went on to claim that the Royal family were fully aware of both Prince Albert Victors deteriorating mental health and his secret identity as Jack the Ripper. This theory was then also taken up by Dr Thomas Stowell. In the former, he is the British monarch during the First World War. Diary of Mary of Teck, quoted in Pope-Hennessy, p. 210. The allegations were reported to Buckingham Palace and the head of the police Special Branch investigated. . When we do, we depend on our loyal, helpful readers to point out how we can do better. Prince Albert's Death: Much Speculation, Few Answers Now freshly discovered letters. But two confidential letters sent by the prince - the Duke of Clarence and Avondale - to his surgeon show he was suffering badly from gonorrhoea, most likely caught from a prostitute. But compared to other mourners, Alexandra got off incredibly easy. Almost all of Prince Eddy's archival record has been destroyed. [10] Dalton accompanied them as chaplain to the ship. 'This would today be regarded as a scandal worthy of tabloid newspaper coverage. (20 January 1934). That December, with scandal still raging, Prince Alberts family showed their power in a disturbing way. In 1889, one of the most infamous scandals England had ever seen broke out, and Prince Albert was right in the middle. [40] Aronson's judgement was based on Albert Victor's "adoration of his elegant and possessive mother; his 'want of manliness'; his 'shrinking from horseplay'; [and] his 'sweet, gentle, quiet and charming' nature",[40] as well as the Cleveland Street rumours and his opinion that there is "a certain amount of homosexuality in all men". All Rights Reserved. Moreover, no attempts were made to restrain Prince Albert Victor until after the Double Event (the murders of Elizabeth Stride and Catherine Eddowes on the same night). It is said that the fatal disease led to a decline in the Princes mental health, eventually causing him to become insane. [39] Although there is no conclusive evidence for or against his involvement, or that he ever visited a homosexual club or brothel,[40] the rumours and cover-up have led some biographers to speculate that he did visit Cleveland Street,[41] and that he was "possibly bisexual, probably homosexual". Well, he sure didnt forget about Prince Albertand that wasnt a good thing. He wrote: 'I think I had better go on taking them for a bit. In the mid-20th century, the official biographers of Queen Mary and King George V, James Pope-Hennessy and Harold Nicolson respectively, promoted hostile assessments of Albert Victor's life, portraying him as lazy, ill-educated and physically feeble. [23] In 1888, he was awarded an honorary degree by the university. No, really. At Factinate, were dedicated to getting things right. Yep, he took Alberts bride from his cold, dead hands. Five of the smaller figures were only completed with "a greater roughness and pittedness of texture" after his return to Britain in the 1920s.[106]. Sounds more like the stuff of a Stalinist people's republic. His family crowded around his bed, praying for his recovery at first but then praying for his soul. Though such claims have been repeated frequently, scholars have dismissed them as fantasies, and refer to indisputable proof of the Prince's innocence. The New York Times ridiculed him as a "dullard" and "stupid perverse boy", who would "never be allowed to ascend the British throne". Hitchens, Christopher (8 November 1990). Years later, Margery traveled to England and claimed that she had given birth to Alberts son. They acquired tattoos in Japan. "[9] In 1877, the two boys were sent to the Royal Navy's training ship, HMS Britannia. However, a Jack the Ripper expert today rubbished the prospect that these letters proved Prince Albert Victor, who was known as Eddy, was the ripper. It is said that the fatal disease led to a decline in the Prince's mental health, eventually causing him to become insane. After Albert's death, Victoria spent the first weeks of her widowhood with the Duchess as her only companion. He said: 'These must be the first documents ever to reveal a member of the Royal Family had contracted a sexually transmitted disease, most probably from a prostitute. According to the people who stumped for this grisly theory, Prince Albert was the perfect suspect: He already had a (potential) history of visiting houses of ill repute, and he had enough royal clout to get coppers off his trail. From 1989 to 1998 Alan Moore and Eddie Campbell published the graphic novel From Hell in serialized form, which is based on Stephen Knight's theory. 213217; Cook, p. 10; McDonald pp. The letters reveal a scandalous detail. [2] As a grandchild of the reigning British monarch in the male line and a son of the Prince of Wales, he was formally styled His Royal Highness Prince Albert Victor of Wales from birth. According to History, there's a theory Victoria's grandson, Prince Albert Victor, was Jack the Ripper. Despite Prince Alberts shady dealings in his private messages, the royals set a date for his wedding just months away on February 27, 1892. One obituary, written by a journalist who claimed to have attended the majority of Albert Victor's public appearances, stated: He was little known personally to the English public. Cook p. 103, quoting from correspondence in the Royal archives Z 474/63. Based on other records from Buckingham Palace, it seemed likely that the prince had been with his family at Sandringham House on November 9, 1888, when another murder had occurred in London. Howard, Philip (11 March 1975). Prince Albert Victor, a grandson of Queen Victoria, was the eldest son of King Edward VII but predeceased his father at age 28 and so never became king. Once more, Prince Alberts dreams of happiness went right out the window, and he went right on the rebound. Now, this would have been enough for the rumor mill to churn on for weeksbut it also took an incredibly dark turn. In the second letter, he asked his surgeon - named only as Roche - to send him more pills. Just as plans for both his marriage to Mary and his appointment as Viceroy of Ireland were under discussion, Albert Victor fell ill with influenza in the pandemic of 18891892. By 1890, Prince Albert was back in England and had been around the block when it came to scandalous affairs. [20] Leaving Cambridge in 1885, where he had already served as a cadet in the 2nd Cambridge University Battalion, he was gazetted as an officer in the 10th Hussars. Cmon now. In the late 20th century, allegations began circulating that Prince Albert Victor was Jack the Ripper and had murdered his victims due to insanity brought on by a case of syphilis. Sadly, the Holy Father was on Team Dad too, and told her he would never condone her defection or marriage. [42] This is contested by other commentators, one of whom refers to him as "ardently heterosexual" and his involvement in the rumours as "somewhat unfair". [106] A recumbent effigy of the Prince in a Hussar uniform (almost impossible to see properly in situ) lies above the tomb. The dalliance came back to haunt him. Maud told her that "he is buried with your little coin around his neck" and Louise said that he is "yours in death". I knew that she was going to take it badly, but I had no idea about the insane lengths she would go to just to get revenge and mess with my life. Papers in The National Archives show that neither courtiers nor Margery had any proof to support the allegation. The marriage did not produce any issue, though Ernest apparently fathered at least three illegitimate children in later years. Except when it comes to this dark twist, thats just the beginning. Sign up to get the latest news on your favorite dramas and mysteries, as well as exclusive content, video, sweepstakes and more. There is much speculation surrounding Prince Albert Victors later life and final years not least because of his rumoured connection to Jack the Ripper and the Whitechapel Murders. Somerset's sister, Lady Waterford, denied that her brother knew anything about Albert Victor. Today, there may be no English prince as controversial, scandalous, or ultimately as tragic as Prince Albert Victor. SIR . Even though he had an illustrious future to look forward to, things quickly went awry for the Prince. The fact that such a senior member of the Royal Family had an STD would be regarded as a scandal today - but the Jack the Ripper connection makes this tale even more salacious. He describes suffering from 'glete', a term used to describe the discharge caused by gonorrhoea, in the mornings. The prince showed little interest in the intellectual atmosphere, and he was excused from examinations, though he did become involved in undergraduate life. To be fair, despite his dismal school record and lack of encyclopedic knowledge, Prince Albert Victor had a lot of other things going for him besides his royal titles. 52, 5657; Harrison, pp. He was a grandson of Queen Victoria, next in line to the throne after his father, and full of strapping good looks that drove England wild. Stowell theorized that Eddy, crazed by the effects of syphilis, committed the murders. Prince Albert Victor wasnt even in London. His death itself wasnt suspicioushe was in his late eighties at the timebut it did complicate matters. "[101] George took Albert Victor's place in the line of succession, eventually succeeding to the throne as George V in 1910. Shops put up their shutters. Eddy, as he was affectionately known, was rumored to have contracted syphilis from a prostitute in the West Indies. Prince Albert Victor apparently couldnt play coy to save his life, because chances are the person he was in love with was Lady Sybil herself. All I can say is: live fast, die young, and leave one bad reputation. The whispers caught on like wildfire, and soon The Cleveland Street Scandal became a matter of national concern. Do you question the accuracy of a fact you just read? "[82], In late 1891, the Prince was implicated as having been involved with a former Gaiety Theatre chorus girl, Lydia Miller (stage name Lydia Manton), who committed suicide by drinking carbolic acid. I tried to get my ex-wife served with divorce papers. I am perfectly well in every other respect, and really do not see why this should go on as it does.'. In Episode 4, Prince Albert overhauled Buckingham Palace operations, beginning with the sewers. Unfortunately, thats not the first time youll hear me say that. The princes missives indicate he was taking regular medicine for gleet. Whats that, you ask? Prince Albert Victor, who was Queen Victoria's grandson, was identified many years ago as potentially being the mystery man behind the Whitechapel murders. I'm a doctor and here are the 5 signs you may have intestinal parasites, Why I've ditched a lifetime of possessions and downsized at 70 for my children, How to give yourself a natural facelift for just 25p!