Princes in the Trenches

The Royal Families in the First World War

Of the many myths surrounding the First World War, perhaps the saddest is the belief that monarchs created a conflict and left their subjects to face the bullets. In reality, the kings did their utmost to maintain peace, and, as officers led from the front, their sons were often in the greatest danger. In the first four months of the conflict, no fewer than ten princes were killed in action, and, in the space of four weeks, one princess lost an uncle, a son and a husband. Perhaps the greatest tragedy is that almost all of them believed that they were not fighting for glory or power but rather in defence of their homeland.