The Arthurs Who Were Never Kings

It seems that until or unless the legendary King Arthur finally returns, no Prince Arthur is destined to rule England. There have in fact been several Prince Arthurs in the royal families of Britain, but in almost every case, just bearing the name seems to lead to early disaster for the unfortunate prince, as these stories will show.

When Richard Lionheart of England died without an heir in 1199, his nephew, Prince Arthur, Duke of Brittany, was next in line for the English throne. But his uncle John had a different idea and usurped the throne himself. The French King, Philip Augustus, and most of his nobles supported Arthur's claim, which gave John the excuse he needed to invade France in 1202. During his siege of Mirabeau, where Arthur was holding his grandmother, the redoubtable Eleanor of Aquitaine, hostage, John managed to surprise and capture the young prince.

Arthur was first imprisoned at Falaise, but was later moved to Rouen. He disappeared there in 1203, presumably murdered by either John himself or one of his lackeys. Very few facts ever emerged about Arthur's death, but one tradition has it that John personally killed him in a drunken rage. Arthur's body was supposedly thrown into the Seine and later found by a fisherman. It has been said that Arthur was buried at the priory of Notre Dame des Pres, but the story will probably never be verified.

Another Prince Arthur was the eldest son of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York. Born on September 20, 1486 and named after the legendary king, his mother went to Winchester, then believed to be the site of Camelot, to give birth. Arthur was created the first Prince of Wales at the age of three.

In 1488, negotiations began with Spain to arrange the marriage of Prince Arthur to Katherine of Aragon, infant daughter of Ferdinand and Isabella. The young couple were married in London in November of 1501. Prince Arthur and his bride then set up a small court in Ludlow Castle, but the young prince died suddenly on April 2, 1502. He was not yet sixteen years old. He was buried in the cathedral church of Worcester.

Queen Victoria and her consort, Prince Albert, may have been mindful of the dangers of naming a child Arthur, for although they did name a younger son Prince Arthur William Patrick Albert, it was highly unlikely that he would inherit the throne. Born on May 1, 1850, this Prince Arthur became interested in the military at an early age, and embarked on a distinguished military career.

Oddly enough, though, Prince Arthur nearly became a ruler, though not in Britain. His nephew, the only son of the Duke of Edinburgh, died in 1899, leaving Arthur in line for succession as Duke of Saxe-Coberg-Gotha in Germany. But Arthur chose to renounce both his and his son's rights to the duchy when his uncle Alfred, the reigning Duke, died in 1900. As his son was also named Arthur, perhaps Prince Arthur was taking no chances with his son's life, or with his own.

Despite never having been a king, or perhaps because of it, Prince Arthur lived a hugely successful life. He became a field marshal in 1902 after a distinguished Army career and served in both world wars. He also served as Commander-in-Chief in Ireland from 1900 to 1904, and eventually became Governor-General of Canada in 1911, serving until 1916. He retired from public life in 1928 and died in 1942 at the age of 92, leaving behind an impressive legacy of service and achievement.

There is still a chance for a Prince Arthur to ascend the English throne. Prince Charles' full name is Charles Philip Arthur George, and he is next in line for the throne. But there is currently a growing sentiment in England that Prince Charles should step aside in favor of his son, Prince William. Prince Charles has experienced a great deal of personal tragedy and adversity in his life, and it remains to be seen whether he can overcome the misfortune that seems to plague the name of Arthur. Will this Arthur become King? We can only wait and see.