Crown Prince Wilhelm of Prussia


This is the painting of Little Willy, son of he Kaiser, that was presented to the 11th Hussars on the 6th May 1914. I cannot say whether it was displayed in the officer's mess during the First World War, probably not! But nowadays it can be seen hanging on the wall of the officer's mess of the King's Royal Hussars in Tidworth. That is where I was kindly allowed to photograph it in July 2004. In the painting, the Prince is accompanied by Lt-Colonel Tyndale-Biscoe.

These privates of the 11th Hussars look a little uneasy as they hold the portrait of their Colonel-in-Chief, His Imperial Highness Crown Prince Frederick Wilhelm of Prussia. Wilhelm, or Little Willy, as he was called by the British, had presented the portrait to his regiment on the occasion of his birthday, 6th May 1914. Well may they be uneasy because three months later they were on their way to France to fight the armies of Wilhelm's father, the Kaiser.

The two men wear the full dress tunic, blue with yellow braid and yellow caplines. There is a silver badge on their collars. They have crimson forage caps with silver badges bearing the German motto TREU UND FEST.


Regimental Details | Uniforms


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by Stephen Luscombe