The Prussian prince who almost became King of Ireland

Countries & Cities · Published 12 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: In 1916, Irish revolutionaries looked to a German prince to lead a new nation. They believed his lack of English would actually protect Irish culture. But as empires collapsed and revolutions surged, the man destined for multiple thrones faced a much darker fate.

During the 1916 Easter Rising in Dublin, republican leaders such as Patrick Pearse and Joseph Plunkett considered offering the throne of an independent Ireland to Prince Joachim of Prussia. Their strategy was calculated: if Germany won the First World War, an independent Ireland could become a monarchy led by a German prince, mirroring the established models of Romania and Bulgaria. There was a linguistic logic to this choice. Because Joachim did not speak English, leaders like Desmond FitzGerald believed he would naturally promote the Irish language to establish his own authority.

By distancing the state from English influence, the movement hoped to drive 'de-ancillarisation' from the top down. This idea found support among the Irish Volunteers, with figures like Ernest Blythe describing the prospect as 'immensely attractive.'

Joachim was not only considered for Ireland; he was also a candidate for the Georgian throne following the 1917 Russian Revolution.

However, the shifting tides of the Great War and the German Revolution of November 1918 stripped him of his royal prospects. The abdication of his father, Emperor Wilhelm II, transformed Joachim from a potential sovereign into a commoner. This loss of status, combined with documented mental health struggles, led to a tragic end. A 1918 psychiatric examination by Dr. Robert Gautt described him as 'incurably ill' and prone to violent outbursts. In July 1920, at the age of 29, Joachim died by suicide in Potsdam, leaving behind a fractured legacy and a lineage that continues to intersect with the disputed claims to the Russian throne.

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