UK: Rare photo of royal children showing ‘Lost Prince’ John up for auction

A rare photograph of the British royal family showing all the six children of King George V and Queen Mary is up for auction. The photograph of the royal children also includes the “Lost Prince”, John, who was later kept away from the public eye due to his epilepsy and died in sleep at the age of 13 after a severe seizure.

The extremely rare vintage signed sepia comprises of Prince Edward, later King Edward VIII and afterwards Duke of Windsor; Prince Albert, later King George VI; Princess Mary, later Princess Royal and Countess of Harewood; Prince Henry of Wales, later Duke of Gloucester; Prince George, later Duke of Kent; and Prince John. The 4.5 inches x 3.75 inches photograph, which has been signed by all six children, depicting the siblings standing and seated together in full length poses.

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Estimated cost

Prince Henry and George are wearing sailor's uniforms and the rest of them are in formal attire. The photograph has been signed by each in bold, dark fountain pen inks with their names alone to clear areas of the image. The price of the vintage photograph has been estimated between 2,500 to 3,500 euros.

“Signed photographs by all six children of King George V and Queen Mary are extremely rare owing to Prince John's tragically early death from an epileptic seizure at the age of 13,” reads the auction website International Autograph Auctions Europe SL.

Prince John, born in 1905, was the fifth son and the youngest children of King George V and Queen Mary and discovered to have epilepsy at the age of four. After his condition deteriorated, he was sent to live at Sandringham House, keeping him away from the public eye. 

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(Image Credit: International Autograph Auctions Europe SL)