The royal tragedy that inspired Prince William’s name as he celebrates his 42nd birthday

As the Prince of Wales celebrates his 42nd birthday today (Friday 21 June), we can expect to see a number of tributes from the Royal Family and well-wishers around the world.

Prince William Arthur Philip Louis was born at St Mary’s Hospital in 1982, the son of King Charles and Diana, Princess of Wales. He was named after several members of his family, including Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh and his father’s uncle, Lord Louis Mountbatten.

Although it was also reported that his other middle name, Arthur, was a strong contender to become his given name, Charles and Diana ultimately chose another path.

In addition to the tributes to surviving members of the family, another member of the royal family was named William and many royal experts believe he inspired the choice of the name for the couple’s first child. The royal in question was close to King Charles and tragically died young in a plane crash.

On 18 December 1941, Prince William Henry Andrew Frederick was born in Barnet, Hertfordshire, to Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester and Alice, Duchess of Gloucester.

William was the older brother of Prince Richard (now the Duke of Gloucester) and acted as a page at the wedding of his cousin, Princess Elizabeth, to Philip Mountbatten on 20 November 1947.

In 1965, the Prince began working for the Commonwealth Office. He worked in Lagos as Third Secretary at the British High Commission. In 1968, the Prince was transferred to Tokyo, Japan, as Second Secretary at the British Embassy.

He is said to have enjoyed his life, free from royal duties and strict protocol. He even met the woman he intended to marry – Zsuzsi Starkloff – had she been considered suitable in royal circles.

At the time, Starkloff was not considered suitable to be a royal bride, as she was a twice-divorced Jewish-Hungarian mother of two young children. It is even believed that her cousin, Princess Margaret, was sent to Japan to encourage her to think about her duties towards her relationship.

All of William and Starkloff’s long-term plans were dashed in 1970, when his father, the Duke of Gloucester, began suffering from multiple strokes. He had to return to the United Kingdom to manage his father’s estate and assume his duties as a full-time member of the royal family.

In 1972, Prince William, who was himself a qualified pilot and owner of several aircraft, was competing in the Goodyear International Air Trophy. His mother sat in the stands watching her son compete.

Shortly after takeoff, he lost control of the plane at low altitude, causing the wing to strike a tree and catch fire. His body was identified the next day through dental records.

He was considered a daredevil prince. He enjoyed several dangerous hobbies, such as hot air ballooning and hiking in the Sahara Desert.

At the time of his death, he was only 30 years old and ninth in line to the throne. His tragic death made him the first grandchild of King George V and Queen Mary to die. He is buried in the Royal Burial Ground, Windsor.

It was also revealed that the prince was a carrier of a disease called porphyria. His diagnosis was particularly interesting because porphyria is a disease that was associated with King George III and his “madness”.

Other royals who have owned it include Mary, Queen of Scots, King James I, Princess Charlotte of Wales and Queen Victoria’s eldest daughter, Princess Victoria.