Well-known for his love of daredevil activities such as flying and ballooning, Prince William of Gloucester is now frequently referred to as ‘the other Prince William’ and would be the current Duke of Gloucester if tragedy hadn’t struck in 1972 on August 28. While participating in the Goodyear International Air Trophy air race at Halfpenny Green, his Piper Cherokee aircraft struck a tree at low altitude, and crashed into an earthen embankment before bursting into flames.
Both he and his passenger, Vyrell Mitchell, were killed and at the time of his death, he was only aged 30 and ninth in line to the throne. Prince William Henry Andrew Frederick was born in Barnet, Hertfordshire on December 18, 1941, to Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester and Alice, Duchess of Gloucester.
He was a grandson of King George V, a nephew of King George VI and first cousins of Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Margaret. Educated and bright, he studied at Wellesley Prep School, Eton College, and Magdalene College in Cambridge, and spent a further year at Stanford University in California studying political science, American history and business.
A successful career followed. In 1965, the prince started working for the Commonwealth Office. He worked in Lagos as the third secretary at the British High Commission. In 1968, the Prince was transferred to Tokyo, Japan as the second secretary in the British Embassy.
He even met the woman he intended to marry, Zsuzsi Starkloff, had she been deemed appropriate in royal circles. His love interest wasn’t deemed suitable to be a royal bride at the time as she was a twice-divorced Jewish and Hungarian mother of two young children. It is believed that Princess Margaret was sent to Japan to encourage him to think about his duties.
Tragically, the Duke of Gloucester began suffering numerous strokes in 1970 and William had to return to the UK to manage his father’s estate and take on duties as a full-time working royal.
Just two years later, was when tragedy struck at the Goodyear International Air Trophy.
He was well-known as a daredevil prince and enjoyed several dangerous hobbies, such as flying, ballooning and hiking in the Sahara Desert.
Prince William was greatly admired by his family, none more so than by his second cousin, King Charles. When he became a father for the first time in 1982, Charles named his first son in honour of his memory.
William also shared a close bond with the late Queen Elizabeth II, he served as a page boy at her wedding in 1947 to Prince Phillip and also attended her Coronation.
Prince William of Gloucester’s life remains a tale of brilliance and regretfully, a short-lived potential.