Romanian Gypsy crown prince dies in Prague

PRAGUE, Czech Republic, Aug. 3 (UPI) -- A 17-year-old son of the Romanian Gypsy king died of a brain seizure Monday in a Prague hospital, Czech authorities said.

The young crown prince and a would-be successor to the Romanian Gypsy throne suffered serious internal injuries when he nearly drowned while swimming in a Czech lake outside Prague 13 days ago, Jana Jelinkova, spokeswoman for the hospital said, the Czech news agency CTK reported.

The patient's condition has been critical ever since he was hospitalized July 22.

On word of the death, about 50 Romanian Gypsies gathered outside the Prague-Vinohrady hospital, CTK said.

More than 150 Gypsies had arrived from Romania to be close to the youth, staying in makeshift camps on private or municipal land outside Prague, the report said.