Prince John was the youngest son of King George V, familiar to most people as “The Lost Prince” of Stephen Poliakoff’s television drama from 2003.  John suffered from epilepsy and – in all likelihood – a form of autism, and he died in 1919 at the age of just 13.  Had he survived, he would have been the present Queen’s uncle.

Prince John’s short life has been the subject of a great deal of controversy over recent years.  Since his “rediscovery” by the Independent newspaper in 1998, he has often been portrayed as a tragic child locked away by his uncaring parents, who were unable to cope with his disabilities and terrified that the reputation of the Royal Family would be tarnished if his condition was known to the public.  But how accurate is this image?

This documentary investigates the real story of Prince John, drawing on new research and it includes the first interview with one of his childhood friends.  Elsie Hollingsworth is now 99-years-old and is almost certainly the last living person who knew Prince John.  The programme also includes numerous photographs of the real “Johnnie” which have never been seen before on television, as well as letters written by the young Prince.

19th November at 9pm on Channel 4