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He was the other Prince William. In the 1960s, Prince William of Gloucester, a first cousin of Queen Elizabeth II, was the epitome of a new generation of Windsors. Handsome, charismatic, and independent, he was one of the most popular members of the royal family.

Unlike many of his relatives, he did not seek a life confined by royal duties. After studying at Cambridge and Stanford, he began a career in the diplomatic service, working in Lagos and Tokyo. It was a radical step for a Prince of the Blood Royal, one that showed his desire to live a full life of his own.

But his greatest passion, his true love, was in the sky. Prince William was a qualified and enthusiastic pilot. He owned several aircraft and loved to compete in amateur air shows. Flying was a symbol of freedom for him, an escape from the formalities and constraints of royal life.
Despite his love for adventure, he also performed his duties conscientiously. As a senior member of the royal family, he represented the Queen at events in the UK and overseas. He was one of the few who could act as a Counsellor of State in the Queen's absence.

But in 1970, his life changed. His father, the Duke of Gloucester, suffered a series of strokes, and William was forced to return to England to manage his father's estates and take on more royal responsibilities. His life of freedom had come to an end.

But he did not give up his passion. He continued to fly. And it was this passion that led to his death.
On August 28, 1972, while competing in the Goodyear International Air Trophy, his Piper Cherokee aircraft banked too steeply immediately after takeoff. It lost altitude, clipped a tree with its wing, and crashed to the ground, bursting into flames. Prince William was just 30 years old.

His death was a shock to the nation and a huge personal tragedy for the royal family. His younger cousin, a young Prince Charles, had idolized him. And when Charles's first son was born ten years later, he honored the memory of his fallen hero. He named his firstborn and the future king after him— William.

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