Prince Henry of Prussia

Who was Prince Henry of Prussia?

Frederick Henry Charles, Prince of Prussia was the second son of Prince Augustus William, Frederick II "the Great", King in Prussia's brother and heir-apparent.

At the age of 17 Prince Henry was given as his governor the kindly old hero Colonel Hans von Blumenthal, who had commanded the Gardes du Corps and been wounded at Lobositz. As a result, he and his brother Crown Prince and future King Frederick William II spent much time at the Colonel's estate at Paretz. The Crown Prince hated his own tutors but was very happy at Paretz, so much so that he later bought it.

Prince Henry was a promising young captain in the guards and his uncle the King had high hopes for him. Unfortunately, in May 1767 he was leading his cuirassier squadron to Berlin for a parade and review when he stopped at the von Kleist estate of Protzen. Here he caught smallpox and died on 26th.