King Charles rumoured to be related to notorious serial killer Jack the Ripper

King Charles’s great-great uncle was a controversial member of the Royal Family due to his suspected involvement in the Cleveland Street Scandal and being a key suspect in the Jack the Ripper murders.

Jack the Ripper

For nearly five years, Jack the Ripper stalked the streets of Whitechapel, one of London’s poorest neighbourhoods, leaving behind him the mutilated bodies of his victims. Despite only being a threat to a relatively small portion of Londoners, his gruesome crimes significantly impacted society.

The case of the infamous Whitechapel murderer has never been solved, but there are plenty of rumours concerning his identity. One such story is that Jack the Ripper was a member of the Royal Family. Not just any member, but a future King, no less.

The Whitechapel murders and Prince ‘Eddy’

Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence and Avondale, was born on 8th January 1864 and was the eldest child of the future King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra. Several rumours support the claims that the Prince was the infamous murderer or at least involved in the murders somehow.

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The first theory claims that the Prince contracted a sexually transmitted disease and, in a fit of rage, went on a vengeful rampage as the disease spread to his brain and sent him mad. In 2016, Daily Star reported that unearthed letters from a doctor revealed that the Prince was indeed suffering from gonorrhoea, giving weight to this theory.

Another theory states that the young Prince fell in love with a Catholic girl and secretly married her in Whitechapel. The pair went on to have a child together. The Palace allegedly deemed the union undesirable, orchestrating the murders of anyone who knew about the secret wedding and child.

The last theory involves one of the Prince’s tutors from Trinity College, who was also believed to be Prince Albert’s lover or perhaps a ‘spurned lover’. He supposedly developed an extreme hatred of women and went on to brutally kill the victims after being rejected by the future King.

A premature death

Between 1889 and 1892, an influenza pandemic struck, and Prince Albert Victor fell ill and subsequently developed pneumonia. Shortly after his 28th birthday, the Prince died at Sandringham House.

News of his death rocked the nation, sparking a national outpouring of grief. Shops closed, and families penned letters to express their sadness at his passing. However, as time passed, historians and biographers had a less favourable outlook on his life.

My London reported that in 1964, historian Sir Philip Magnus claimed the Prince’s death was a ‘merciful act of providence’, allowing Britain to avoid an unsuitable heir to the throne. His younger brother went on to become King George V.

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Sources used:

- My London: Royal Family: King Charles' relative who was involved in 2 of London's greatest scandals and wasn't 'suitable' monarch

- Daily Star: Does this prove Jack the Ripper was member of Royal Family?

- ATI: Investigating The Theory That Prince Albert Victor Was Jack The Ripper