Born in 1722 he was his parent's eleventh child and second son to survive. He was also ten years younger than Friedrich, the future Frederick the Great. Friedrich, according to their father, liked 
anything French too much and as a result preferred four-year-old August Wilhelm. Their father, Friedrich Wilhelm I, maintained that: "I wouldn't put much money on any of my children but I think this one will be a gentleman." It was even rumoured that Friedrich Wilhelm I wanted to disinherit Friedrich in favour of August Wilhelm. 
In 1740 their father died and as a result Friedrich II became Prussia's new king. In 1741 Friedrich II was advancing into Silesia when, the night before the battle, he realised that he might meet his 
death. He wrote to August Wilhelm, as he was his heir: "I recommend to you, in dying, those whom I loved the most in life: Keyserling, Jordan, Wartensleben, Hacke who is a very honest man, Fredersdorf and Eichel in whom you can have confidence. Do not forget a brother who has loved you tenderly." 
On 6 January 1742 August Wilhelm married Princess Luise of Brunswick-Wolfenbuettel and they produced four children. In 1744 Friedrich II gave August Wilhelm Wusterhausen as a home. The ten  surviving brothers and sisters were unusually close but August Wilhelm surrounded himself by the elements of Berlin society hostile to Friedrich II. Although the king continued to love his brother, he nevertheless kept an eye on his friends. In return August Wilhelm resented some of Friedrich II's generals and, by ignoring the advice of Winterfeldt, caused Zittau to be destroyed by their enemies. 
In June 1758 Friedrich II was besieging Olmuetz when, on the 16th, he told Henri de Catt that he always dreaded the 18th of June and that he had dreamt seeing his father with Princess Wilhelmine and Prince August Wilhelm. On the 18th of June a messenger arrived with the news that August Wilhelm had died on the 12th of June. When the king asked "What of?" the reply was "Of grief". The king cried bitterly maintaining that August Wilhelm had made things difficult for him but 
blaming his friends. 
The post-mortem showed that the thirty-five-year-old prince had a tumour on the brain. On 14 October 1758 their sister Wilhelmine died. 
 

Source: Leo van de Pas