John Zylinski

John Zylinski, also known as Jan or Janek Zylinski (25 July 1951 – 3 January 2024) was a Polish property developer living in United Kingdom who claimed to be a prince from a line of Polish aristocracy but grew up in the émigré community in London after the Second World War. His early career was in art journalism and he established an art business. He then became a property developer, specialising in fixer-uppers, and made a fortune. He was known for his public activism and support for Polish causes in the United Kingdom, recreating a Polish palace in Ealing, and founding the charity Polish Heroes and a political party, Duma Polska – Polish Pride. In 2016, Zylinski ran for the office of London mayor as an Independent, appearing on the ballot paper as "Prince Zylinski" and having a focus on appealing to European residents. He had previously drawn attention in 2015 for challenging Nigel Farage to a duel in Hyde Park over his comments on immigrants. He was a frequent commentator on Polish rights in the UK, including campaigning for a Polish statue to World War II heroes in Hyde Park, and founding a charity called Polish Heroes which aimed to celebrate the contribution and heroism of Poles in World War Two.