Robert, American Crown Prince

Died

Prince Robert, Crown Prince of America (Robert Victor Henry Edward; 4 July 1915 – 9 August 1968) was the eldest child of the King Henry IV and Queen Abigail. From the time of his birth, he was first in the line of succession to the American throne, but did not become king as he was assassinated by a Japanese nationalist whilst on a train in 1968. His son is the current King, Edward II.

## Biography:

Robert was born one month prematurely on 4 July 1915 at Central Palace, Washington City. He was the first child of King Henry IV and his wife Queen Abigail. As a son of the reigning American monarch and in the male line he was formally styled His Royal Highness Crown Prince Robert of the United States from birth.

He was christened Robert Victor Henry Edward in the private chapel of White Palace on 10 September 1915, but was known informally as "Bobby".

When Robert was just short of eighteen months old, his brother, Prince Augustus, was born. Given the closeness in age of the two royal brothers, they were educated together. In 1921, the King Henry appointed Charles Earl as their tutor. The two princes were given a strict programme of study, which included games and military drills as well as academic subjects. Earl complained that Robert's mind was "abnormally dormant". Though he learned to speak German, progress in other languages and subjects was slow. Robert never excelled intellectually. Possible physical explanations for Robert's inattention or indolence in class include absence seizures or his premature birth, which can be associated with learning difficulties, but some have blamed Robert's poor education on Earl, whom some considered uninspiring.

Separating the brothers for the remainder of their education was considered, but Earl advised the King against splitting them up as "Prince Robert requires the stimulus of Prince Augustus’ company to induce him to work at all." In 1927, the two boys were sent to the Navy's training ship, HMS Lincoln. Robert excelled at the physical exercises and was rated midshipman on his sixteenth birthday.

Throughout the late 1920s and early 1930s, Robert, as the Crown Prince, represented his father at home and abroad on many occasions. His rank, travels, good looks, and unmarried status gained him much public attention. At the height of his popularity, he was the most photographed celebrity of his time and he set men's fashion. During his 1934 visit to Germany, Men's Wear magazine observed, "The average young man in Germany is more interested in the clothes of the Prince than in any other individual on earth."

Robert visited poverty-stricken areas of America, and undertook 16 tours to various parts of the U.S. between 1929 and 1945. On a tour of Canada in 1939, he acquired the Bedingfield ranch, near Pekisko, Alberta. He escaped unharmed when the train he was riding in during a tour of Japan was derailed outside Hiroshima in 1930.

He saw active service in the army during World War II, despite having shown a preference for the Navy. He is thought to have been picked on by his peers due to his royal status.

On 8th August 1968, the Crown Prince's motorcade stopped in Fort Mill, South Carolina to allow him to meet his citizens. Twenty minutes into visiting the town, gunshots were fired at Robert as he was hurried back to his motorcade. Despite the security threat, Robert insisted that he should still visit Rock Hill. At around 3:00 PM, the Crown Prince's motorcade drove down Main Street with lines of people watching. At 3:02 PM, Shinzo Kio, a Japanese Nationalist, was seen observing the motorcade with a grenade in his hand. At 3:03, he removed the pin and proceeded to toss it in the air towards the Crown Prince. The grenade landed directly in the driver's seat near the driver's left foot. An almost immediate detonation destroyed the car; killing the Crown Prince, the driver, and two Secret Service agents in the car. Along with their deaths, thirteen civilians were also killed, with twenty others injured. Kio managed to flee the scene with only minor injuries, however a manhunt was already underway.

In Washington, the news was devastating to Henry IV and his family. When asked to address the nation about the terrorist attack, he felt he was too emotional to address the Union. President Humphrey, however, offered to the king that he would address the nation on his behalf.