Edward Charles the Royal Nazi who was nearly King

Prince Charles Edward was born 19 July, 1884 in Esher, Surrey, Britain, his Godparents were Prince Albert, a German prince who had married Queen Victoria. Bestowing the title of Duke of Albany by Victoria, he was being groomed for the future King of England. The Windsor family (Royal family) had originally emigrated Germany century’s before. Victoria felt it was best for the Windsor family to have a German prince on the German throne. Edward, who was fifteen years old, was ordered by Victoria to immigrate to Germany. Without any knowledge of the German language, he was forced to live in German, leaving behind his family and school friends from Eton. Under the supervision of his royal family, he was taught to speak German. Attending Germany’s elite Military school, at the age of eighteen he was completely Germanized, proving to be a model prince.

Meeting Princess Victoria Adelaide of Schleswig-Holstein, in the dawn of a new century, he fell in love with her. Adelaide was the oldest daughter of Duke Friedrich Ferdinand of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg. Eventually marrying her on 11th October, 1905, at GlücksburgCastle. When Franz Ferdinand, was assassinated by Gavrilo Princip a student, the First World War had begun. Edward was forced to pledge his alliance to the Kaiser and stand against the country he had spent his early years living in. In response Edward’s allying himself with the Kaiser, the British royal family choose to adopt the surname, Windsor over Sax Gotha. Edward realized not only had his British family abandoned him, but he probably could never return to the life he once knew. In 1918, after the War, George V removed Edward’s British title completely and branded his cousin as a traitor.

In 1919, after the First World War Edward was titled British Prince and British Royal Highness. The demise of the Prince’s popularity had been steadily declining not just in Britain but also in Germany after the war. When a promising young corporal, extremely bitter about Germany’s loss in the First World War. Formed his own political party, becoming a close friend of Adolf Hitler, using Edward as a powerful ally. In 1935, Edward joined the Nazi party and pledged allegiance to the Nazis. After funding the Nazi party, Hitler made him a member of the SA (Brownshirts). Unlike his British relation Edward V11, who had relinquished the British throne and married an American. Decades later when historical records showed he was a secret Fascist and supporter of Hitler and the Nazi party. Edward, however made no secrets of his devotion to the Nazi party and rose through the party’s ranks.

During the Second World War, Edward continued his support for the party; however, his reign came to an abrupt end. Hitler, his closest friend had committed suicide, Edward feared his for his life as he went into hiding to avoid capture. In 1945, General Patton placed Edward under house arrest at Veste Coburg palace his royal residence. The Windsor family branded him a traitor and decided to ostracize him completely, including his daughter. In 1947, the Windsor family excluded him from attending any royal ceremonies or Weddings. A dramatic fall from grace for a member of the royal family who came from a privileged background for most of his life. His thirteen Palaces worth seventeen million (in today’s money) were seized, imposed with heavy fines he was bankrupt. Edward was incarcerated in prisoners of wars camp, struggling to find anything to eat as his body ached from crippling arthritis. Edward was a shadow of his former self, not even his American captors would have guessed that he was a member of the British Royal family. At his trial, he pleaded not guilty, claiming that he knew nothing of the atrocities that had been committed. However due to his failing health he was released from the prison. Edward spent his last years living in a chauffeur’s cottage on one of his former estates. His health continued to decline as he contracted cancer and was blind in one of his eyes. In 1953, he watched in the German cinemas as his granddaughter’s royal cousin Queen Elizabeth the Second was crowned. On the 6 March, 1954 Edward died, no members of the Royal family attended his funeral.

Prince Phillip who eventually married Elizabeth 2 nd was a close relation to Edward Charles. However, the Windsor family have tried to erase any historical connection or association him. Prince Phillip along with Elizabeth 2 nd has made four state visits to Germany, but never entering or mentioning the town of Coburg, where Edward lived.