Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Royal family portrait shows little boy who died at just 13
years separated from his siblings in Wood Farm, on the Sandringham Estate.
Queen Mary had supervised the decorations and ensured John’s bedroom had a window with a view of his beloved steam engines.
After dropping him off in 1917, she wrote: “It is very sad to see this great strong boy, with the mind of a child of six, and makes one quite unhappy.”
Prince John was cared for at Wood Farm by his nanny Charlotte “Lalla” Bill.
Award-winning writer and director Stephen
Poliakoff told the story of John in his BBC drama The Lost Prince, with Lalla played by Gina Mckee and Daniel Williams as the young John.
The photograph of John and his siblings is believed to have belonged either to a member of the Royal Family, a friend, or a nanny.
It is being sold by a private collector with International Autograph Auction, of Malaga, Spain, and is set to fetch £3,000. Auctioneer Francisco Pinero said: “This item is significant because it is extremely difficult to find a signed photo by all six children of King George V.
“Prince John was sent to Sandringham House and kept away from the public eye, therefore his autograph is very rare.
“The photo was probably given to a member of the Royal Family, someone close to it or perhaps a royal nanny.” The sale takes place on July 22. Standing behind Prince John and Edward in the photo is Albert, who was crowned King George VI after his brother’s abdication and reigned until his death, aged 56, in 1952, when his daughter became Queen Elizabeth II.
On the far left, is Prince Henry, who was Governor-general of Australia from 1945 to 1947. He died in 1974, aged 74.
His brother Prince George, on the far right, had died in 1942, aged 39, in a military crash while serving with the RAF.
Princess Mary, who trained as a nurse in 1918, died in 1965, aged 67.
Wood Farm is where Prince Philip has spent much of his time since his retirement from public life in 2017.