Despite the alleged reluctance of senior members of the royal family to take William's . And if the winds ever changed, he would come back for her. Doctors eventually confirmed the diagnosis, providing more evidence that porphyria had been haunting the royal family for centuriesperhaps even as far back as Mary, Queen of Scots. But even if that was the case, tragic news from back home put an end to that idea once and for all. Name. It was his career that led him to Zsuzsi, the woman he loved even though some members of the royal family were determined that he would not be allowed to marry her. Starkloff was seven years older than the prince and a divorcee. It changed her life and, if things had turned out differently, it might also have changed the course of history. Zsuzsi was five years more established than the ruler and much smarter on the planet. They rented a home and Starkloff claimed the prince cooked her breakfast nearly every day. Zsuzsi still wears a chain around her neck with a "W" on a cygnet ring, given to her by the man she refers to as the love of her life, Prince William of Gloucester. William and Starkloff could pretend like they were a normal couple for a while, but not forever. And, in case he didnt think her intentions were clear, she wrote him a flirty note: Dear Prince Charming we hear a party isnt a party without you. She escaped the Communist dictatorship that had taken over her nation at the age of 20 and made her way to America, where she was quickly awarded US citizenship. . Former model and stewardess Zsuzsi Starkloff was in a relationship with Prince William of Gloucester. SUPPORT OUR JOURNALISM: Please consider donating to keep our website running and free for all - thank you! she came up with a plan to meet the royal with the movie star looks. She met the ruler over a mixed drink when she was there in 1968, not long after the unknown office sent him to town as a 26-year-old negotiator. "I was perhaps two different people. A Hungarian divorcee would have become 'the new Mrs Simpson' were it not for a tragic accident, she tells Isobel James. When Starkloff asked William what the princess thought of her, he simply replied, She said you are very nice and very interesting and she doesnt blame me for falling in love with you. The program claims Prince William intended to marry Starkloff, but a centuries-old British law stated anyone in succession to the throne needed the queen's approval to marry. But we gave each other beautiful . She never truly got over the death of the man she still calls the love of her life. . William was just 30 years old. But Prince Philip was pretty much up in arms against us marrying," Zsuzsi recalls now. ", Eli Clln asked: "Why isn't this mentioned in The Crown??? Well, normal for someone whos stinking rich. But, as the template demands, it was now time for those stuffed shirts at the palace to stand in the way of romance merely because Zsuzsi was a twice-divorced Hungarian single mother, seven years Williams senior. Born in Hungary, model Zsuzsi Starkloff moved to Japan to be the face of Revlons Japanese advertising campaign. It was not the way the royal family saw it: with the abdication crisis of 1938, triggered by Edward VIII's determination to marry the divorcee Wallis Simpson, still recent history, news of the couple's romance was already causing panic. Related Boards. Omarosa Manigault 2. From the moment he was born, Williams life was in danger. He was fiercely loyal to his friends, particularly those who were ill, unpopular with others, or even downright embarrassing. A glamorous 32-yearold former air stewardess, she had split from her second husband, a pilot, and was working as a model. He grew up as the golden child for an entire kingdom, and it went to his head. In his youth, he and his cousin, Prince Michael of Kent, acted as page boys at the wedding of their cousin, then Princess Elizabeth to Philip Mountbatten on November 20, 1947. Zsuzsi, a single mother, was living in Tokyo and having great success working as a model. Not a day," Zsuzsi said. Tragedy was around the corner. She started out as a model in New York before becoming a flight attendant on the now-old Overseas National Airways, flying from one side of the planet to the other. Fortunately, the couple had an unlikely ally inside the royal family. All Rights Reserved. (Photo by S. E. Orchard/Daily Express/Getty Images) (Getty), Zsuzsi recalled her love affair with the prince. On 18 December 1941, Prince William Henry Andrew Frederick was born in Barnet, Hertfordshire to Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester and Alice, the Duchess of Gloucester. There's something about American divorces REX/Shutterstock Edward VIII's decision to abdicate rather than leave the love of his life Wallis Simpson resulted in a constitutional crisis. Well, the good news is that Zsuzsi has certainly changed. "It was hard, as I didn't like to see William struggle. Zsuzsi Starkloff eventually married, but she never let go of her daring prince. Having moved to Tokyo with her second husband, an American pilot, she worked as a PA and model to make ends meet, becoming for a time the face of Revlon cosmetics in Japan. For the first time on camera Zsuzsi Starkloff tells the story of her forbidden relationship with Prince William of Gloucester, in a film rebuilding the lost legacy of the royal family's forg Read allFor the first time on camera Zsuzsi Starkloff tells the story of her forbidden relationship with Prince William of Gloucester, in a film rebuilding the lost legacy of the royal family's forgotten star.For the first time on camera Zsuzsi Starkloff tells the story of her forbidden relationship with Prince William of Gloucester, in a film rebuilding the lost legacy of the royal family's forgotten star. It was a world away from the aristocratic life into which William Windsor was born. Nowadays, he is referred to as The Other Prince William, but who was Prince William of Gloucester and why was his life cut so tragically short? Clearly, Prince William was unlike any royal wed ever seen. I was very busy, my daughter was with me, she was a teenager, I had a lot of new friends, and very interesting people. Please let us know if a fact weve published is inaccurate (or even if you just suspect its inaccurate) by reaching out to us at contribute@factinate.com. The couple rented a home near the ocean, a secret love nest, where William loved cooking for Zsuzsi, making her breakfast every morning. The prince then performed an emergency stall in midair. He'd invited Zsuzsi to join him but she had other commitments that day. Zsuzsi Starkloff. She is pictured here at Heathrow Airport. Background Check - Available. Please submit feedback to contribute@factinate.com. Zsuzsi recently passed away from cancer, after surviving nearly 50 years after William was killed in his plane crash. She escaped the communist fascism that had taken control of her country at the age of 20 and marched to America, where she immediately received American citizenship. The two met in Tokyo in 1968, where William impressed the ladies by arriving for his British-embassy posting in a plane hed piloted himself. His passionate love affair with Zsuzsi a twice-divorced Hungarian Jew five years his senior unfolded through the late '60s and early '70s and scandalised the royal family to such an extent that she was dubbed the "new Mrs Simpson". They were opposed in the face of her being more settled, segregated, and of an unexpected confidence compared to William (Jewish). Former model and stewardess Zsuzsi Starkloff had a long-running relationship with William. But when news that William was dating a single mother got back to England, it wasn't long before the royal family came to visit. In fact, he had actually invited her to join him at the race that day, but she had been previously indisposed. They remained extremely close for the rest of his lifebut tragically, she would also live to witness his horrifying demise. He appeared on the balcony and also at the National Service of Thanksgiving at St. Paul's Cathedral, sitting directly in front of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex. William told Starkloff to wait there while he returned to England to, as Margaret told him, see how everything looked. Even on his very last day, William was still thinking about Zsuzsi Starkloff. Clearly, William wasnt over Starkloff, and he wasnt ready to settle down. The tall, handsome, and daring prince seemed more like a movie star than a royal. The prince was head over heels in love. The princes skin also blistered if exposed to too much sunlight. William managed to bring his friends safely back to Earth that day, with a story theyd be able to tell for the rest of their lives. Zsuzsi Starkloff was married to ONA pilot Ed Starkloff in the beginning of the sixties. Sound familiar? How tragic he wasn't allowed to marry the woman he loved and killed in an air accident. He was well-regarded as a daredevil prince taking on several dangerous hobbies, including, flying, ballooning and hiking in the Sahara Desert. He was very unspoiled. William came screaming into the world in a humble nursing home. But though it might sound fun, William couldnt just leave responsibility behind to wander the desert forever. Just a few years younger, Charles was the perfect age to see William as a superhero. Research Zsuzsi Starkloff Wikipedia and Biography Zsuzsi Starkloff was born in Budapest, Hungary in 1936 and lived there until she chose to flee to the US in 1956. The Estimated Net worth is $80K USD $85k. Prince William was a page boy at the Queens wedding, in 1947. When, in September 1969, William's cousin Princess Margaret arrived in Tokyo, purportedly to help boost Britain's trade relationship with Japan, Zsuzsi believes her real mission was to gauge the seriousness of their relationship. 412K views, 701 likes, 95 loves, 64 comments, 162 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Real Royalty: In 2015 Zsuzsi Starkloff told the story of her forbidden relationship with Prince William of. She was a good dresser and carried herself gracefully. Before he met the love of his life, William only had eyes for one woman: his mother. Anyway, Hungarian-born Starkloff, with a huge bequest in Northamptonshire and a lovely apartment at Kensington Palace, could be the Duchess of Gloucester. Though the lovers have perished, their love lives on inside the hearts and minds of netizens. A group of small boys who happened to be near the crash site rushed to the raging inferno to render aid. Well, the good news is that Zsuzsi has certainly changed her mind since. Fri, Mar 03, 2023 . Read More. Either way, the law stated that anyone with succession to the throne must get the Queen's permission to marry, and it didn't look likely that the Queen would approve of William's love match. Prince William's title by birthright instead went to his younger brother, Prince Richard, the current Duke of Gloucester. William was greatly admired by his family, none more so than by his second cousin, Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales. Unfortunately, he wouldnt always get so lucky. "A Japanese girl and myself were the new face of Revlon in Japan. Brendan Da Costa is a writer at Factinate. Yet, even though he grew up in the spotlight, he was said to always desire a life away from the confines of a royal role. According to Zsuzsi everybody was lovely to her, even though it was made clear that their relationship was frowned upon. Whats more, her son Charles absolutely idolized his older cousin. Yet his mind was made up: by 1970 William had decided to marry Zsuzsi and, while he never formally proposed, he gave her the signet ring she still wears around her neck as a symbol of his commitment. His derring- do created a sensation among the women of Tokyo - including Zsuzsi Starkloff. Good thing Williams mother made him go in, because the doctor found something else troubling. SELECT AGE . Background Check - Available. Our credibility is the turbo-charged engine of our success. Hed always idolized his older cousin, who had always seemed invincible. Despite his cushy upbringing, even as a teenager, Prince William had developed something of a death wish. "The last time I actually saw William was at the airport when he deposited me in a British Airways seat," she recalls. William quickly realized that he wanted to spend his life with her, but he knew it wasnt that simple. Naturally, William flew himself to Tokyo, in one of his many personal aircraftthe man was still a prince, after all. At a Wolverhampton air show in August 1972, William crashed his plane and was killed instantly. When Margaret returned to London, she wrote to William, telling him he should wait and see how things worked out. I tried to get my ex-wife served with divorce papers. Her birth date was listed as June 1, 1936. In one call, in late summer 1972, William rang Zsuzsi and asked if she wanted to fly to England and join him in the cockpit when he took part in an air race. Prince William of Gloucester was in all probability essentially the most well-known royal of the twentieth century. The grandson of King George V and the nephew of two other monarchs, Edward VIII and George VI, Prince William would have one day inherited his father's title. Zsuzsi M Starkloff Po Box 880430, Steamboat Springs, CO 80488. That was all the encouragement William needed. However, tragedy struck on August 28, 1972 when William died in a plane crash just minutes after taking off for an air race near Wolverhampton in the West Midlands. It is even believed that his cousin, Princess Margaret, was sent to Japan to encourage him to think about his duties over the relationship. As energetic as it was, his relationship with Starkloff was marred by misfortune and shame. Former business associate Shigeo Kitano, told Channel 4 William was obviously deeply in love with Zsuzsi. Nearly the entire Royal Family disapproved of William and Starkloffs relationship, but none more than Queen Elizabeth IIs husband, Prince Philip. William was far from the first royal to fall for someone beneath their station. Olavo de Carvalho 16. In 1968, one of Starkloffs upper-class friends threw a costume ball. Almost as soon as he got in the air, Williams Piper Cherokee banked steeply to the left. So, who really was the other Prince William? We have no more information about his spouse. Where could Zsuzsi Starkloff be now? After that, youd think maybe shed want a nice boring man, but instead, she went for William of Gloucester. There, Prince William met a woman named Zsuzsi Starkloff, who was a Hungarian mother and model, who also happened to be twice-divorced. He even asked Starkloff what she would say if he proposed. Did that mean his family finally came around? But it was no good, we had to go back because of the heat. That's a beautiful compliment.". Nonetheless, Im willing to bet that if our William had brought home his own twice-divorced Hungarian single mother, seven years his senior, we wouldnt have seen her walking down the aisle of Westminster Abbey. But his life was cut short when he was killed in a plane crash in 1972 at the age of 30 years old. His tragic story touched them deeply, and had he not died that way, Royal protocols for relationships might've taken more to change. Zsuzsi Maria Starkloff, 83, of Steamboat Springs, died at home on May 1, 2020, after a valiant battle with most cancers. Naturally, Starkloff dressed as a princess that night (but, since this was the 60s, she regrettably chose to be an Indian Princess). He died in a plane crash in 1970. Join thousands of others and start your morning with our Fact Of The Day newsletter. Mitchell had been 43, and William had been just 30 years old. We have no information about his girlfriend/boyfriend. "There isn't a day that I don't think about William. 18-30 31-40 41-50 51-59 60+ Reset Age Filter. Photographed competing in the King's Cup Race, a cross-country air race in the UK, 14th August 1971. A few years that, he attended her coronation, when she became Queen Elizabeth II. Afterwards, all he would volunteer was that she had said I seemed very nice and interesting, and she didn't blame him for falling in love with me." Nov 21, 2014 - Hungarian born Zsuzsi Starkloff tells the story of how she could have been Duchess of Gloucester were it not for the Queen sabotaging her relationship with Prince William of Gloucester. She even went out with Sean Connery several times while he visited to shoot a movie. The blizzard of clichs began immediately when we were introduced to the playboy prince with the movie-star looks whose great love affair was destined to end in tragedy. Starkloff moved to Steamboat in 1985 and sent off her own land rental business. Our editors are instructed to fact check thoroughly, including finding at least three references for each fact. Then just 1 a week for full website and app access. Despite the fact that their story began in the 1960s, some of it will resonate with Imperial fans today, as Zsuzsi was an attractive, scientifically divorced American person, like Meghan Markle. An adventurous boy, Prince William soon grew into some extremely dangerous hobbies. Also, we have no idea about his brother and sister, and we dont know their names either. William was called the playboy Prince, who wanted to rebel against royal protocol. Pictured sailing in Lagos, Nigeria, with Graham Hunter, 13th February 1966. The Prince was laid to rest five days later, with the Queen, Prince Philip and a young Prince Charles among the mourners. Auto news:Shock new reason behind car delays - drive.com.au, Prince William of Gloucester (1941 - 1972) relaxes on his 21st birthday at his home at York House, 18th December 1962. Passionate about aviation, William is said to be the youngest royal to obtain his pilot's license and spent 16 days flying himself to his new post in Japan. One false move would have meant the end of William and his friendsbut William knew just what to do. Today Zsuzsi, who has made her home in Colorado, still retains the elegant looks that captured the heart of an English prince. Donald Lee Sundin is also linked with this address. Some reports say he even made up his mind and decided to marry her, no matter what his family said. "But it was Zsuzsi Starkloff that stole his heart. Prince William of Gloucester (1941 - 1972) competes in the King's Cup Race, a cross-country air race in the UK, 14th August 1971. Nope. Margaret was the perfect choice, after all. In 2015 Zsuzsi gave a rare interview to Britain's Channel 4 for a documentary, opening up about their love story and of the grief she still feels for the man she fell in love with nearly half a century ago. Subscribe to leave a comment. Thankfully, porphyria would not drive William mad like it had King George. Zsuzsi followed him there months later, arriving in July to be introduced to her lover's family. She and William also talked quite a bit privately. Years later, Starkloff reminisced, My relationship with William had nothing to do with his title or me wanting to be a princess, that wasnt what it was about and William knew that. Daily Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images. While still married, her first husband suffered a brutal crash at Le Mans and he barely survived. The King was well aware of the risks; he wrote to Williams mother saying that should anything happen to Henry, he would become the boys guardian himself. Daily Mail/REX Shutterstock. Thanks for your time! Away from the standard royal duties and protocol, William could live something of a normal life. After years of service in France, Williams father had been able to return to be there for his birth. He was born Prince William Henry Andrew Frederick on December 18, 1941, to Prince Henry and Princess Alice, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester. The doctor told William that he had porphyria. (Channel 4), "A British prince and a Hungarian girl met in Tokyo Japan 47 years ago. At the time of his birth, he was fourth in line to become King of England. Otherwise, Hungarian-born Zsuzsi Starkloff could have been Duchess of Gloucester, with a sprawling estate in Northamptonshire and a grace-and-favour apartment in Kensington Palace. Like Edward VIII, the programme lamented, William was forced to realise that you can have the woman or you can have the throne, but you cant have both a parallel that might have been stronger if William had ever had any chance of the throne. All he volunteered after the long conversation he had with her was that 'You are very nice and very interesting and she doesn't blame me for falling in love with you.". When he raised the courage, he sent a photograph of her to his family back home in order to gauge their reaction. He is the eldest child of Prince Charles and Lady Diana, Princess of Wales. Prince William and Vyrell Mitchell died in the crash. That turned out to be a mercy, as it spared her from watching the love of her life go up in flames. William once said of his mother, She is a human being and she must possess some faults. Born in the 1930s to a working-class family in Hungary, Zsuzsi was married at 16 and by her late-20s was twice divorced, with a young daughter, Andrea. The world order is changing in his favour, The sinister rise of drag shows for children, Theresa May is the true villain in this latest Tory Brexit war. Prince Charles was devastated at the loss of his cousin. ", She added: "I get misty-eyed just thinking about that. "She and William talked for quite a bit, I was very curious about what she would say, I didn't ask William. It was not good. That wasnt his only vice, either. The couple endured a series of separations over the following two years, but Zsuzsi knew William intended to marry her, giving her a commitment ring. for a documentary, opening up about their love story and of the grief she still feels for the man she fell in love with nearly half a century ago. Its not hard to see what William saw in Starkloff. Zsuzsi remained in America and has not married since, although she has built a happy life, qualifying as a pilot herself and running her own flying school a tribute to her late lover, who had always urged her to learn to fly. The Other Prince William (2015), Double-Band Films, The Tragic Story Of Britain's Playboy Prince, Real Royalty, The Truth Always Comes Out: Dark Family Secrets Exposed, Entrancing Facts About Madame de Pompadour, France's Most Powerful Mistress, Tragic Facts About Catherine of Aragon, Henry VIIIs First Wife, Mysterious Facts About Josephine Earp, The Mendacious Wild West Woman, Vulgar Facts About Lenny Bruce, Stand-Up Comedys Virtuous Villain, Unbridled Facts About Daisy Greville, The Saucy Socialite, Macabre Facts About Wednesday, The Spooky Streaming Sensation. There was speculation that Princess Margaret's visit, the queen's sister and Prince William's cousin, to Tokyo in 1969, was to check up on the pair. But their efforts were in vain. But as a young man, William decided not to follow strict royal protocol and join the army. His Royal Highnesss body was identified the following day through dental records. In 1936, she was born in Budapest, Hungary. A difficult year for Albert and Charlene finally winds to an end, The Duchess of Cambridge wows TV audiences with a musical piano performance on Christmas Eve, The princess whose royal wedding had to wait until the heir to the throne had married, The life, scandals and loves of Princess Margaret, Princess Margaret's fashion favourite: Christian Dior, How Princess Margaret made a poignant nod to her late father, King George VI, on her wedding day. The adoration of ruler Williams and Zsuzsi Starkloff was arguably the greatest love of the twentieth century. Instead, he craved adventure and a normal life away from the prying eyes of the royal family. However, he seems to have trusted Margaret, because he introduced the two of them. Its time the playboy prince started living up to his name. The following year she gave the Mail an interview describing their relationship in some detail. When the princess first met Starkloff, a look of genuine surprise swept across her face. I was very busy, my daughter was with me, she was a teenager, I had a lot of new friends, and very interesting people. "I wasn't able to free myself as I had other obligations in New York," she recalls. Christopher Wilson, an illustrious author, thinks of Prince William of Gloucesters terrible relationship. Prince William of Gloucester was the worlds favorite royal. He got right back to racing anything with an engine. He was the royal family's forgotten star. But in 1972, William's plane, which he was piloting, came down in a fiery crash at an air race on August 28 that was caught on camera. Username. Wiki, Biography, Age, Spouse, Net Worth, Fast Facts, Who Is Violet Knox? She conversed in flawless Japanese and was clearly a very clever woman. An interview with Starkloff . Despite the royal familys misgivings about Starkloff, she had honest intentions and her love for William of Gloucester was true. He was concerned about the damage to the royal familys reputation from yet another scandalous love affair. But no one is perfectnot even Prince Charming. 0 Oktober31 May 19, 2020 Details Edit Release date "I was nervous, of course, although everyone was very kind. He still loved fast cars and faster planesbut his reckless ways meant he often flirted with disaster. In 1958, William was sent to Eton for his schooling before he studied at Cambridge University. This was the first time she met Prince William of Gloucester. She never married again, and never truly got over the death of the man she still calls the love of her life. It was in this role that in 1968, at the age of 26, he was posted to Japan where, within a week, he met Zsuzsi at a party. He would never be with Zsuzsi Starkloff againbut that didnt stop him from trying to replace her. For her part, Zsuzsi was a model and former air hostess with a neat line in flirty banter. In 1956 she escaped the communist regime that was infiltrating her homeland and came to the USA as a refugee. William was a working stiff now, but he hadnt given up on his daredevil lifestyle. It echoed claims made in the TikTok video. Fathers name is Not Available. From racing cars to flying planes, everyone in England heard about the daredevil princes exploits. Though Margaret didnt directly encourage William to pursue his relationship with Starkloff, she did leave him with one small glimmer of hope. Help using this website - Accessibility statement. Yet it was a love story destined to end in tragedy: in August 1972, the Prince's light aircraft crashed in an air race, killing him instantly at the age of just 30. Though nearly 20 years younger, William was quite close with his cousin, Princess Elizabeth. ", Starkloff recalled him telling her a few months into their relationship: "I never thought ever that love can be this beautiful. Zsuzsi M Starkloff, age 85, Steamboat Springs, CO Background Check. Despite the obvious obstacle of the sovereign's blessing, Starkloff in the documentary showed off a signet ring she said that William had given her, emblazoned with the letter W, which she still wore on a chain. Born in 1941, William was the beloved first-born son of the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester. ", Zsuzui Starkloff who had a torrid love affair with Prince William of Gloucester during the 1970s. In the early 70s, tabloids noticed that William had a new beau: Her name was Nicole Sieff, but it quickly became clear that he hadnt moved on from his first love. And we danced, and that's when our relationship truly began. That night, her Prince Charming dressed as the Lone Ranger in a black cape and mask. #fyp #fypage #foryoupage #foryou #viral #trending #history #historytime #historical #historybuff #historylesson #oldphoto #historical_stories #fyp #royalfamily #prince #william #cinderella #lovestory #affair #tragic, Referring to the party she invited him to as Prince Charming, Starkloff said: "It was really fun.