The last kaiser - Giles MacDonogh

Prussia?s last King and Germany?s last Kaiser was born in Potsdam in 1859, the son of Prince Frederick of Prussia and Princess Vicky, Queen Victoria?s eldest child.

William was born with a withered arm and suffered from cerebral palsy. Believed mad by some, eccentric by others, he possessed a ferocious temper, was rumoured to have sired numerous illegitimate children (and suspected of homosexual affairs) and yet appeared a prig. A power grabber who built a fleet targeted at Britain, he nevertheless idolised Queen Victoria who, he claimed, died in his arms.

Giles MacDonogh is a historian and journalist. His biography of Frederick the Great was on the Evening Standard bestseller list. He contributes regularly to the Financial Times, The Times, Guardian and Evening Standard.