It might surprise you to learn that giving a young man tons of money, special treatment, and fame doesn’t always lead to a well-behaved adult. Princes in royal families get all this, plus a lot of responsibility and the constant worry they’ll cause a scandal. But what are they supposed to do when their main job is just waiting for someone to pass away so they can become king? Right now, one British prince is making headlines for sharing royal secrets, while another has stepped back after a major scandal.
But these aren’t the first royal dramas. Here are ten times British princes did things far wilder than just writing a revealing book.
10. Prince Albert Victor
Prince Albert Victor (1864–1892), also known as the Duke of Clarence and Avondale, was the oldest son of Prince Edward, who was next in line after Queen Victoria. Queen Victoria had very strict rules for her family, but maybe because of this, several family members got into trouble. Prince Albert Victor was one of Europe’s most wanted bachelors, but something about him made potential brides uneasy. Princess Alix turned him down to marry Tsar Nicholas II of Russia – a marriage that ended tragically for them.
Perhaps it was Albert Victor’s interest in several other women that put her off. He was reportedly involved with a chorus girl. Historians even suggest a mysterious illness he had might have been gonorrhea. It seems Albert Victor’s romantic interests weren’t limited to women. There are clues he might have been bisexual. In 1889, London police raided a male brothel. When the workers started naming their important clients, one lord involved hinted he’d reveal a royal family member was a customer unless he was let off. The initials of that royal were P. A. V. – Prince Albert Victor.
Albert Victor died of pneumonia in 1892. However, his death didn’t stop the gossip. One historian has even suggested he might have been Jack the Ripper.
9. Dirty Bertie
Prince Albert Victor’s father, Prince Edward (1841–1910)—who later became King Edward VII—was also no stranger to scandals. As the heir to Queen Victoria, who lived a very long time, he found himself with little to do while waiting to be king. So, he spent his time with alcohol, smoking, gambling, and pursuing women. The queen even blamed her husband Albert’s death on Edward’s wild ways.
When his affairs with women were discovered, the queen arranged a marriage for him. But married life didn’t slow him down. Edward loved Paris, especially the women there. A special chair with cushions and stirrups was even designed for the heavy prince to help him during his romantic encounters. Known as Bertie to his family, Edward soon earned the nickname “Dirty Bertie” around the world.
Much of this scandalous behavior happened privately, but in 1869, Edward had to testify in a court case about Harriet Mordaunt. He was forced to state that he had never had any “improper familiarity” with her.
8. The Prince Regent
George (1762-1830), the heir to George III, was described very harshly: a “bad son, a bad husband, a bad father, a bad subject, a bad monarch, and a bad friend.” He was obsessed with women and desperately wanted to be loved. He would pressure women he liked to give in to his advances. During an affair with Maria Fitzherbert, the prince threatened to kill himself unless she married him. Such a marriage was illegal because she was Catholic, and they hadn’t asked for the king’s permission. Still, they married secretly.
The prince’s second, more public marriage happened because he had huge debts. Parliament wouldn’t pay them unless he got married. So, he was engaged to Caroline of Brunswick. It was a disaster from the start. When he met her for the first time, he turned to a friend and said, “Harris, I am not very well, pray get me a glass of brandy.” George stayed drunk until his wedding and, on their wedding night, collapsed into the fireplace. Caroline left him there.
Their marriage was a constant mess. When George became king, he had the doors of Westminster Abbey shut in her face so she couldn’t attend his coronation.
7. Prince George, Duke of Kent
Being the heir to the throne at least offers the chance to become king one day. But if you’re the fourth son, you’re not even the backup—you’re a backup to a backup to a backup. Prince George (1902–1942), Duke of Kent, was King George V’s son and isn’t well-known today, but he was quite wild during his time as a royal. You don’t get the nickname the “Party Prince” for nothing.
George was rumored to have had affairs with people like cabaret star Florence Mills, playwright Noel Coward, and several socialites. His relationship with the son of the Argentine ambassador was apparently common knowledge. One of his lovers, Kiki Preston, was a heroin user and known as “The Girl with the Silver Syringe.” She might have introduced George to the drug.
Prince George died in a plane crash during World War II.
6. Prince William
When George IV’s daughter Charlotte died during childbirth, it created a crisis for the British royal family. Even though George III had 15 children, none of them had a living, legitimate grandchild. If George IV’s siblings couldn’t produce an heir, the House of Hanover would end. This started a race among his brothers, who all married quickly to try and have a legitimate heir.
Prince William (1765–1837), later King William IV, must have thought he would win this race. After all, he had fathered ten children with his long-term mistress, the actress Mrs. Jordan. Mrs. Jordan was a famous stage actress, and even though society looked down on her private life, she remained one of the most popular actresses of her time. Because her name, Jordan, was also a term for chamber pots, many cartoons made fun of the prince, showing him climbing into a chamber pot.
When William was forced to marry a legitimate wife, he sent Mrs. Jordan away with a pension, on the condition that she never act on stage again. To pay off her son’s debts, Mrs. Jordan had to act to earn money. Because she broke their deal, William took their daughter away and cut off all money to his former mistress.
5. Robert Curthose
While most rogue princes today might only cause a bit of embarrassment, things in the past could get much more serious. William the Conqueror could be quite harsh—his campaign against the north of England was brutal. So, Prince Robert (c. 1050–1134) got off relatively easily when his dad nicknamed him Curthose, meaning “short trousers.” His brothers also teased him. When they thought Robert was getting too arrogant, they dumped the smelly contents of a chamber pot over his head. Robert did not take this well.
Robert started a rebellion because he felt his father hadn’t punished his brothers enough for their prank. With his friends, he attacked Rouen castle. Their attack failed, so Robert fled, but King William chased him with an army. Robert teamed up with another nobleman to cause trouble, so William allied with the king of France to stop his rogue son.
Still, when William died, he left his lands in Normandy to Robert. Robert later rebelled against his brother, who had become king of England.
4. Ernest Augustus
In 1810, Prince Ernest Augustus (1771–1851), son of George III, was asleep in bed when someone woke him by savagely hitting him on the head. He didn’t see anyone in the room, but as he went to the door for help, he was cut on the leg with a saber. The prince ordered his house sealed so the attacker couldn’t escape. When a search was done, his valet, Joseph Sellis, was found dead. His neck had been slit in an apparent suicide. The official story was that Sellis had attacked the prince and then killed himself.
Several newspapers at the time guessed about what really happened that night. Had Sellis been angry that the prince was making advances on his wife? Had the prince faked the attack to hide his murder of his own valet? Had another servant murdered Sellis and faked the attack to frame him? All these ideas were considered. A book published in 1832 claimed Ernest had killed Sellis to hide the prince’s gay affair with another servant. The author was found guilty of libel.
3. Frederick, Prince of Wales
The United Kingdom has never had a King Frederick, but it came close in the 18th century. Frederick (1707–1751) was the son and heir of George II. However, no one was happier than the king when Frederick died before he could inherit the throne. Even Frederick’s mother reportedly said he was “the greatest ass and the greatest liar and the greatest canaille and the greatest beast in the whole world” and “I heartily wish he were out of it.” On another occasion, she wished the earth would open up and swallow her son so she wouldn’t have to deal with him anymore.
His “crimes” against his parents were that he refused to follow their political views. He associated with opposition politicians and set up what was essentially a rival court in his own palace. Because of this split in the royal family, the king refused to give Frederick the money he needed for his expensive lifestyle. So, Frederick appealed directly to Parliament. People who didn’t like the king enjoyed this family feud.
When Frederick died, supposedly after being hit by a cricket ball, very few people were invited to his funeral.
2. Prince Frederick, Duke of York
Prince Frederick (1763–1827), Duke of York, was the second son of George III. During the Napoleonic wars, Frederick was made commander-in-chief of the army. Perhaps his most memorable legacy is the children’s rhyme written about his unimpressive military campaign:
“The grand old Duke of York,
He had ten thousand men.
He marched them up to the top of the hill
And he marched them down again.”
The Duke of York got caught up in a scandal involving his mistress, Mary Anne Clarke. The prince had agreed to pay Clarke a pension when they separated but later stopped the payments. To make money, she began selling army appointments, apparently with his approval. A parliamentary commission found the duke innocent, but he was forced to resign from his position. Clarke was paid £10,000 and given a yearly sum to burn the Duke’s letters and a memoir she had written.
1. Henry, the Young King
Today, the worst that happens when royals don’t get along is that they leak negative stories to the press. Henry II had much bigger problems with his sons. Henry II decided to make the line of succession clear by crowning his son, also named Henry, while he himself was still alive. This young king Henry (1155–1183) was eager to get control of some of the lands he was supposed to inherit—but his father was less willing to give them up. When the king gave three castles to his favorite son, John, the young king rebelled.
Encouraged by his mother, Eleanor of Aquitaine, young Henry, along with his brothers Richard and Geoffrey, fled to Paris to team up with the French king and raise armies. The princes had a good chance of overthrowing their father, but Henry II was a brilliant military leader and defeated all the forces against him. The rebellious sons were pardoned, but Eleanor was kept under close watch while Henry II lived to make sure she didn’t start another war. The young king never got to be a real king. He died of dysentery six years before Henry II.
It certainly makes today’s royal arguments look quite mild by comparison.
These stories show that royal life isn’t always a fairytale. Sometimes, princes go against expectations, leading to scandals, family feuds, and even open rebellion. From secret love affairs to political defiance, these rogue princes left their mark on British history, reminding us that even those born to privilege can have a wild side.
Which of these rogue princes’ stories surprised you the most? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
