Queen Victoria writing to Victoria, Princess Royal, 12 November 1891 and 19 November 1891, quoted in Pope-Hennessy, p. 207. When we do, we depend on our loyal, helpful readers to point out how we can do better. Schoolchildren aged 11 are being given history lessons in Did Jack the Ripper have a copycat rival? [112] He admitted, however, that "the allegations of Prince Eddy's homosexuality must be treated cautiously. 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. It was a date with destiny. He was the second son born to Ernest III, Duke . STDs were rife and there was no easy cure. [116], For example, on 30 September 1888, when Elizabeth Stride and Catherine Eddowes were murdered in London, Albert Victor was over 500miles (over 800km) away at Balmoral, the royal retreat in Scotland, in the presence of Queen Victoria, other family members, visiting German royalty and a large number of staff. [22] In August 1884, he spent some time at Heidelberg University studying German, before returning to Cambridge. [114][115] It was later alleged, among others by Stephen Knight in Jack the Ripper: The Final Solution, that Albert Victor fathered a child with a woman in the Whitechapel district of London, and either he or several high-ranking men committed the murders in an effort to cover up his indiscretion. Yet inside the royal family, things were even darker. The letters reveal a scandalous detail. After all, even though Albert was supposed to be Englands most eligible bachelor, he was also dragging a helluva lot of baggage behind him. GP appointments crisis laid bare as figures show family doctors are cramming in up to 60 patients per day. Leading Jewish organisation demands urgent meeting with The Guardian's editor after newspaper is engulfed by King Charles' Coronation LIVE: Surprise as Kate 'will ditch tiara for headpiece', concert stage revealed and 'Some people write a diary but he'll go and write a song': Ed Sheeran's wife Cherry Seaborn reveals the DOMINIC LAWSON: BT took me for a sucker, while Sky treated me as a valued customer. Pope-Hennessy, James; Vickers, Hugo (ed.) [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. But Eddy, as he was nicknamed, will go down . [11], In 1879, after a great deal of discussion between the Queen, the Prince of Wales, their households and the Government, the royal brothers were sent as naval cadets on a three-year world tour aboard HMS Bacchante. [20] He was introduced to Oscar Browning, a noted don who gave parties and "made pets of those undergraduates who were handsome and attractive",[21] and became friendly with Dalton's godson, Alfred Fripp, who later became his doctor and royal surgeon. Over time, the disease progressed until it began to attack his brain. Now, mentor-mentee relationships can get tangled at the best of times, but Prince Albert and Stephen took it to the next level. Under police interrogation, the male prostitutes and pimps revealed the names of their clients, who included Lord Arthur Somerset, an Extra Equerry to the Prince of Wales. The solicitor was struck off the rolls for his offence, but was thereafter reinstated. [51], The rumours persisted; sixty years later the official biographer of George V, Harold Nicolson, was told by Lord Goddard, who was a twelve-year-old schoolboy at the time of the scandal, that Albert Victor "had been involved in a male brothel scene, and that a solicitor had to commit perjury to clear him. He Was Born Into Power. By the time they returned to Britain, Albert Victor was eighteen. [118], Albert Victor's posthumous reputation became so bad that in 1964 Philip Magnus called his death a "merciful act of providence", supporting the theory that his death removed an unsuitable heir to the throne and replaced him with the reliable and sober George V.[119] In 1972, Michael Harrison was the first modern author to re-assess Albert Victor and portray him in a more sympathetic light. Episode 4 depicted friction between Victoria and her government due to Britains Corn Laws, which some of her members cited as the reason Britain could not increase the famine relief efforts. 'Besides, Prince Albert was in Scotland at the time of one of the murders. "Alfred Gilbert's Monument to the Duke of Clarence: A Study in the Sources of Later Victorian Sculpture.". Shortly after igniting their affair, Prince Albert and Lydia Miller crashed and burned in one tragic end; poor Lydia took her own life, taking her own life after she drank carbolic acid. [38] Sir Charles Russell was retained to watch the proceedings in the case on behalf of Albert Victor. [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. After that, it wasnt long before society whispered that the prince was also a regular visitor; not a good look in the hetero-normative Victorian era. Sadly, the Holy Father was on Team Dad too, and told her he would never condone her defection or marriage. (20 January 1934). Queen Victoria's grandson and heir to the British throne, the handsome Prince Albert Victor - or 'Eddy' - had an illustrious future ahead of him. Jack the Ripper was an unidentified serial killer who brutally murdered at least five ladies of the night in London's East End in 1888. Did Prince Albert have syphilis? He published an article which accused Prince Albert Victor of being Jack the Ripper, based mainly on the findings of the Princes physician, Sir William Gull. [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. Howard, Philip (11 March 1975). Funding for MASTERPIECE is provided by Viking and Raymond James, with additional support from public television viewers and contributors to The Masterpiece Trust, created to help ensure the series' future. [73][74] Hlne offered to convert to the Church of England,[75] and Albert Victor offered to renounce his succession rights to marry her.[73]. Join thousands of others and start your morning with our Fact Of The Day newsletter. 193199. Bob Clark's Sherlock Holmes mystery Murder by Decree was released in 1979 with "Duke of Clarence (Eddy)" played by Robin Marchal. Over the years, there have been many theories surrounding the identity of Jack the Ripper. Sounds more like the stuff of a Stalinist people's republic. 'I'm no legal expert, but a written document that would appear to back up a motive for a murder suspect would be worthy of closer scrutiny by investigating police officers today. [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". His parents the Prince and Princess of Wales, his sisters Princesses Maud and Victoria, his brother Prince George, his fiance Princess Mary, her parents the Duke and Duchess of Teck, three physicians (Alan Reeve Manby, Francis Laking and William Broadbent) and three nurses were present. Albert Victor was born two months prematurely on 8 January 1864 at Frogmore House, Windsor, Berkshire. [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". [37] The Prince of Wales intervened in the investigation; no clients were ever prosecuted and nothing against Albert Victor was proven. To distinguish the young royal from all the other Alberts multiplying in his family, everyone just affectionately called him Eddy. Man, you think you know somebody. According to Dr Stowell, Prince Albert Victor contracted syphilis in the West Indies. He wrote: 'I think I had better go on taking them for a bit. Recycling royals: How Charles will re-use chairs made for the coronations of his mother in 1953 and 'How can I fix this?' Meghan Markle's father says he is 'open to any kind of conversation' to repair his Practising for Charles' big day! What was mercury powder used for? Yet there was one huge problem. [64], In the 1920s, however, the son, Clarence, repeated the story and published a book in the United States, My Uncle George V, in which he claimed he was born in London in September 1890, about nine months after Albert Victor's meeting with Mrs. Haddon. Prince Eddy on his death bed. 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. From petty paybacks to insane acts of karma, these bitter people somehow found the most ingenious ways. This page was last edited on 18 April 2023, at 22:59. Most of us can only dream of the life Prince Albert Victor was born into. Yet even so, there was a strange energy about him that, as one commenter put it, made people whisper, He will never come to the throne. Well, he never didand the reasons why are tragic. [60] In Bangalore he laid the foundation stone of the Glass House at the Lalbagh Botanical Gardens on 30 November 1889. The two letters have been owned by a British collector of royal correspondence for over 20 years and are now being sold by International Autograph Auctions with a pre-sale estimate of 3,000. He wrote, I can quite understand the Prince of Wales being much annoyed at his son's name being coupled with the thing but that was the case before I left it we were both accused of going to this place but not together they will end by having out in open court exactly what they are all trying to keep quiet. She had become an alcoholic and seemed deranged. In the second letter, he asked his surgeon - named only as Roche - to send him more pills. Until suddenly, the prince caught a dubious break. The Prince also appears as the murder victim in the first of the Lord Francis Powerscourt crime novels Goodnight Sweet Prince, and as a murder suspect in the novel Death at Glamis Castle by Robin Paige. During his life, the bulk of the British press treated Albert Victor with nothing but respect and the eulogies that immediately followed his death were full of praise. The Prince's involvement in the murders has been routinely debunked due to a lack of evidence that showed he ever had the STD. [34][35] Letters exchanged between the Treasury Solicitor, Sir Augustus Stephenson, and his assistant, Hamilton Cuffe, make coded reference to Newton's threats to implicate Albert Victor. Prince Albert was the product of an unhappy marriage. However, one of the main reasons behind the theory and also providing the evidence that Stowell mentioned in his article was his health and mental condition. That December, with scandal still raging, Prince Alberts family showed their power in a disturbing way. Despite the palaces best efforts, everybody who was anybody knew about Prince Alberts involvement with the fallen Lydia Miller. It seems I'm not alone, STEPHEN POLLARD: It's often the self-proclaimed anti-racists who are the foulest of the lot. [67][68] He persisted in trying to convince Alix to marry him, but he finally gave up in 1890 when she sent him a letter in which she told him "how it grieves her to pain him, but that she cannot marry him, much as she likes him as a Cousin. His absence at sea, and on travels and duty with his regiment, kept him out of the general eye at times, there was a sallowness of hue, which much increased the grave aspect not only in the metropolis, but throughout the country, somehow, it was always said, 'He will never come to the throne.'[108]. Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence and Avondale (Albert Victor Christian Edward; 8 January 1864 14 January 1892) was the eldest child of the Prince and Princess of Wales (later King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra) and grandson of the reigning British monarch, Queen Victoria. Despite this, his name will seemingly continue to be linked with enthusiasts for years to come. [62] In the style of the time, a great many animals were shot for sport. Except when it comes to this dark twist, thats just the beginning. While some have hypothesized various forms of abdominal cancer (his mother died of stomach cancer at the age of 30), some physicians and historians have argued that Albert may have suffered. In January 1892, just over a month before he was due to wed Mary of Teck, the young royal developed a horrific case of pneumonia. The conspiracy theories surrounding Albert Victor have led to his portrayal in film as somehow responsible for or involved in the Jack the Ripper murders. Historys most fascinating stories and darkest secrets, delivered to your inbox daily. With such a short time frame to plan such a big event, the palace aides were likely rushing to get everything sorted. Whether or not the rumors were true, though, Prince Albert simply wasnt able to stop getting in trouble. [65] Haddon breached the conditions and was incarcerated for a year. . 213217; Cook, p. 10; McDonald pp. Yep, our boy was getting it on, and getting more than he bargained for in the process. To this day, conspiracy theories abound that Albert actually succumbed to that recurrent venereal disease, oreven more absurdlythat the politician Lord Randolph Churchill had him shoved off a cliff to remove him from the succession. The whispers caught on like wildfire, and soon The Cleveland Street Scandal became a matter of national concern. 52, 5657; Harrison, pp. Albert Victor writing to Lady Sybil Erskine 28 June 1891, quoted in Pope-Hennessy, p. 200. Stowell theorized that Eddy, crazed by the effects of syphilis, committed the murders. He wrote: 'I think I had better go on taking them for a bit. No clan is left untouched, and even families that seem happy and normal on. Yep, he took Alberts bride from his cold, dead hands. Even more scandalously, the apple of his eye was reportedly none other than the commoner chorus girl Lydia Miller. According to History, there's a theory Victoria's grandson, Prince Albert Victor, was Jack the Ripper. Terms of Use: PBS is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. "[70] Although Albert Victor's father approved, Queen Victoria's secretary Henry Ponsonby informed her that Albert Victor's mother "would object most strongly and indeed has already done so. Hlne travelled personally to intercede with Pope Leo XIII, but he confirmed her father's verdict, and the courtship ended. I'm an astrology expert and it's obvious why Meghan Markle is skipping King Charles' coronation. Since he spent most of his life cloistered either in school, the military, or his palace, people in the public barely knew him. Published: October 30, 2017 10.23am EDT Updated: January 4, 2018 3.49am EST. 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. Madame de Pompadour didn't just share King Louis XV's bed, she also shared his power. 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. Ernest had suffered from a venereal disease in his late teens and early twenties, most likely as the consequence of living a wild, promiscuous lifestyle. 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. In 1889, Albert Victor's grandmother Queen Victoria expressed her wish that he marry his paternal cousin Princess Alix of Hesse and by Rhine, who was one of her favorite granddaughters. Sensible, sweet Mary was extremely excited to wed the prince, except she didnt exactly know all the information. 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. For starters, although Dr Stowell claimed to have used Sir William Gulls medical notes as a basis for his article, this was never proven. 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. So when Stephen heard of the princes passing, he did not respond well. [16] Some biographers have said that Stephen was a misogynist, although this has recently been questioned,[17] and he may have felt emotionally attached to Albert Victor, but whether or not his feelings were overtly homosexual is open to question. HmmMaybe Mary of Teck did the right thing after all. 10:35 p.m. Now freshly discovered letters claim he turned to killing after contracting syphilis from a prostitute and going insane. In his next letter a week later, he casually mentions, I wonder if you really love me a little?I should be very pleased if you did just a little bit. God, poor Mary of Teck. I tried to get my ex-wife served with divorce papers. Maud and Louise later told Princess Helene that Albert Victor was yours in death because he is buried with your little coin around his neck. Yeah, you read that right. In Albert Victor's and other correspondence, his illness is only referred to as "fever" or "gout". Within weeks, Stowell was dead. Queen Victoria's first son and second child, Albert Edward, was born 9 . Another theory suggested that one of the Ripper victims was pregnant with Prince Albert Victors unborn child. All Rights Reserved. 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. He died before his father, whose reign lasted between 1901 and 1910, and grandmother Victoria. By this time however, Albert Victor was falling in love with Princess Hlne of Orlans, a daughter of Prince Philippe, Count of Paris, a pretender to the French throne who was living in England after being banished from France in 1886. In order to silence her voice and protect the integrity of both the Prince and the Crown, the concept of Jack the Ripper was dreamt up. Throughout this total and complete chaos, poor Mary of Tecks life had unraveled before her eyes. In November 1970, The Criminologist published an article by Dr. Thomas Stowell, an octogenarian surgeon with some thoughts about the identity of Jack the Ripper. Cmon now. [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. "[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. Not in the slightest. Although not directly related to their fling, the fateful event immediately triggered an inquest into her demiseand once more, Prince Albert was right in the center. You dont get much darker than Alberts legacy. Case in point: For a time, people actually thought that he was the notorious Jack the Ripper, the terrifying assailant who was terrorizing the night workers of the Whitechapel district in London during Alberts life.
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