The History Of "Lost" Prince John, Who The Royal Family Tried To Erase

From Princess Diana's untimely death to the criminal allegations against Prince Andrew, the British royal family can't escape the airing of their dirty laundry. The case of Prince John is no exception. When the Windsors welcomed their 5th child in 1905, not many expected that a few years later he would all but vanish. Although certain relatives preferred to keep him a secret, new information is coming out decades later to shed light on the "lost prince."

Baby John

When John was born in 1905, his birth was heralded by the royals and all of Britain. His full name was John Charles Francis, and according to royal record, he was a "large and handsome" baby. That wouldn't be all he was, though.

Early days

The sweet summer child was baptized in August of that year, at the Church of St Mary Magdalene at Sandringham, an estate where he would spend much of his childhood. He was informally known as "Johnnie," due to the family's history of unlucky associations with the name John.

Busy household

At first, John had a normal childhood, playing happily with his siblings Henry, Edward, Albert, Mary, and George. Their parents were busy doing royal things, so the kids were most often supervised by their nanny, Charlotte "Lala" Bill. John was particularly close with her.

So far, so good

John's father, George, was a disciplinarian, but was also affectionate towards his kids. His mother encouraged all the children to confide in her. Through this healthy relationship with their parents, the youngsters turned out nice and polite.