after looking on the net, i found out that prince john had aspergers syndrome, so he was not actually hidden away due to his epilepsy, but more because of the aspergers, which in those times, was unheard of, and socially unexceptable - a sad story
once bitten - twice shy!
The really sad thing is that what happened to him was very kind compared to what happened to many people with autism back then and for decades afterwards.
shareAsperger's (high functioning autism) is highly heritable. Studies of identical twins reveal that if one twin has autism, there is a +60% chance other twin will also have autism. Queen Elizabeth II is the grandchild of Prince John's father, King George V. Elizabeth II nanny (Marion Crawford) wrote a book about her childhood (The Little Princesses ISBN 0312312156) and she described how a young princess Elizabeth lined up toys in long lines and built towers from wooden blocks and developed a pony obsession -behaviors suggestive of mild Asperger's. Royal decorum, social-emotional awkwardness and perhaps even the high divorce rate, could be due to "a dash of autism". I also remember a news report in the late 80's about the "discovery" of two first cousins of Elizabeth II, who were institutionalized as young adults due to "feeble mindedness". (I just found a Time article that confirms this - Nerissa died in 1988 age 67, and Katherine was 60 in 1989 and is still alive today). It is possible that Nerissa and Katherine had/have severe autism.
shareDid you not bother to notice the last names of Nerissa and Katherine? It's Bowes-Lyon, meaning that they where and are not biologically related to Prince John. And wow, a young girl being obsessed with ponies, how odd. Does that mean that almost all young girl's in the Western world suffer from "a dash of autism"? And ooh, a high divorce rate during a time when 50% of all marriages are said to end in divorce. Those royal divorces clearly must have been caused by autism! The theory of causation for autism is still incomplete(at least according to Wikipeida http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Causes_of_autism) and I find your easy willingness to diagnose an entire family with it rather disturbing. It makes me wonder whether after reading this if you might then proceed to diagnose me and my entire family with it. Why? Solely because I have two autistic relatives and like to organize my books! And Gasp! I used to really like ponies too, just like the Queen!
In that family, it would be more bizarre if Elizabeth didn't like horses.
You've got me?! Who's got you?!
Prince John was hidden away because of his epilepsy (no one wants to see a member of the royal family writhing on the floor in a fit), not necessarily because of the peculiar things he said.
It's fashionable these days to retroactively diagnose people with Asperger's Syndrome (it's a very fashionable disease of late), but in fact all of this is mere speculation. Prince John died in 1919, 80 years before Asperger's was even a recognized clinical diagnosis, and nearly a century before it became a fad disease.
Of course whatever John's mental problems were, he could never have inherited the throne with his lack of mental development (and cognitive deficit is not a symptom of Aspergers), but that's not necessarily why he was hidden away, at least not according to the movie, that I can tell.
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I wish there was a "like" or "vote up" button so I could do so for this comment. Thank you.
You've got me?! Who's got you?!
As would I. It's a pleasure to read something so well-reasoned, especially after the blather that confused the Bowes-Lyonses with the Windsors for the purpose of proving a point about inherited traits.
shareAsperger's isn't a disease, it's a neurological condition. People are born with it and they die with it. It's basically an extreme personality type - or rather, a collection of extreme personality types, which on the surface at least can be wildly different. Indeed, for many people it may be of great benefit to them, giving them abilities far beyond what other people are generally capable of, and for this reason, these are the people who are far less likely to be diagnosed.
shareYou know, that's exactly what I thought too while watching the mini series. A very sad story.
shareEpilepsy is a symptom of autism, which is seems the Prince had.
sharewere do you get your information..... out of a uneducated sourcehttp://www.webmd.com/brain/autism/tc/aspergers-syndrome-symptoms Autism is a DEVELPMENTAL Disorder Epilepsy is a Neurological Disorderhttp://www.epilepsy.com/get-help/managing-your-epilepsy/understanding- seizures-and-emergencies/warning-signs-seizures one has walks, Huge Celebratory endorsements, web tv adds for a whole month(MARCH), huge public education and easer to understand ,treat and LIVE with ie it has NO Chance to KILL or be a cause of DEATH . the other has very few Celebratory endorsement, one or two adds has a whole month (November) but gets "looked over" by alheimers and prostate cancer, is one of the least educated ,understud, treat and Live with ie it CAN KILL YOU and be a Cause of Death. Check out SUDEP.
sharewhat a stupid person you are!
Go meet an AS kid.....they are usually the smartest people in the room.
It's the fits that led to his virtual banishment, although there was concern about his peculiar pronouncements.
Asperger's is likely what he suffered from, although, as tmwjr rightly points out, it is not a symptom of low intelligence. Their psychological deficiencies dominate their capacity for self-reflection and, thus, accepted proper adjustment to social situations. Especially in highly-regimented Edwardian England royal life.
under the circumstances, sending him to live a quiet life in a country cottage seems to me quite a sensible decision.
share