Editing Lord Mountbatten (section)

== Personal life ==
=== Marriage ===
[[File:Louis and Edwina Mountbatten 01.jpg|thumb|upright|Louis and Edwina Mountbatten]]
Mountbatten was married on 18 July 1922 to [[Edwina Cynthia Annette Ashley]], daughter of [[Wilfrid Ashley, 1st Baron Mount Temple|Wilfred William Ashley]], later 1st&nbsp;[[Baron Mount Temple]], himself a grandson of the [[Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 7th Earl of Shaftesbury|7th&nbsp;Earl of Shaftesbury]]. She was the favourite granddaughter of the Edwardian magnate [[Ernest Cassel|Sir Ernest Cassel]] and the principal heir to his fortune. The couple spent heavily on households, luxuries, and entertainment.<ref name=heath184/> There followed a honeymoon tour of European royal courts and North America which included a visit to [[Niagara Falls]] (because "all honeymooners went there").<ref name="life1942081763">{{cite magazine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=v04EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA63 |title=Lord Louis Mountbatten |magazine=Life |date=17 August 1942 |access-date=20 September 2012 |page=63 |via=[[Google Books]]}}</ref> During their honeymoon in California, the newlyweds starred in a silent home movie by [[Charlie Chaplin]] called ''Nice And Friendly'', which was not shown in cinemas.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.charliechaplin.com/en/films/9-Limelight/articles/300-Nice-and-Friendly|title=Nice and Friendly|work=Charlie Chaplin Official Website|accessdate=5 August 2022|archive-date=11 August 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220811123421/https://www.charliechaplin.com/en/films/9-Limelight/articles/300-Nice-and-Friendly|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Chaplin |first1=Charlie |author1-link=Charlie  Chaplin |title=WATCH: Charlie Chaplin - Nice and Friendly (1922) |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3K1R5_0qes |website=youtube.com |publisher=[[PBS News Hour]] |language=en |format=video |date=6 July 2018 |access-date=10 March 2023 |archive-date=26 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190426120006/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3K1R5_0qes |url-status=live }}</ref>

Mountbatten admitted: "Edwina and I spent all our married lives getting into other people's beds."<ref>{{harvp|Ziegler|1985|p=53}}.</ref> He maintained an affair for several years with [[Yola Letellier]],<ref name=hicks>{{harvp|Hicks|2012|p=24}}</ref> the wife of Henri Letellier, publisher of ''[[Le Journal]]'' and mayor of [[Deauville]] (1925–28).<ref>{{harvp|Aubenas|Chardin|Demange|2007|pp=91, 111}}</ref> Yola Letellier's life story was the inspiration for [[Colette]]'s novel ''[[Gigi (novella)|Gigi]]''.<ref name=hicks/>

After Edwina died in 1960, Mountbatten was involved in relationships with young women, according to his daughter Patricia, his secretary John Barratt, his [[valet]] Bill Evans, and [[William Stadiem]], an employee of [[Madame Claude]].<ref name="thetimes1">{{cite news |last=Lownie |first=Andrew |url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/society/article/the-love-lives-of-lord-and-lady-mountbatten-bedhopping-gay-affairs-and-dangerous-liaisons-p7wqpk7xz |title=The love lives of Lord and Lady Mountbatten – bedhopping, gay affairs and dangerous liaisons |work=The Times |date=7 November 2017 |access-date=23 August 2019 |archive-date=9 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210509184316/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/the-love-lives-of-lord-and-lady-mountbatten-bedhopping-gay-affairs-and-dangerous-liaisons-p7wqpk7xz |url-status=live }}{{subscription required}}</ref> He had a long-running affair with American actress [[Shirley MacLaine]], whom he met in the 1960s.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://theprint.in/world/the-private-lives-of-the-mountbattens-open-marriage-flings-and-paedophilia/281688/|title=The private lives of the Mountbattens — Open marriage, flings and paedophilia|first=Srijan|last=Shukla|website=[[ThePrint]] |date=25 August 2019|access-date=3 January 2022|archive-date=3 January 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220103071036/https://theprint.in/world/the-private-lives-of-the-mountbattens-open-marriage-flings-and-paedophilia/281688/|url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Sexual allegations ===
In 2019, Ron Perks, Mountbatten's driver in Malta in 1948, alleged that he used to visit the Red House, an upmarket gay brothel in [[Rabat, Malta|Rabat]] used by naval officers.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/celebrity-life/royals/prince-charles-mentor-lord-mountbatten-was-a-homosexual-with-a-perversion-for-young-boys-fbi-files-claim/news-story/5ab4fdb8c928610bd9a123a018b27b53|title=Prince Charles' mentor 'perverted'|date=18 August 2019|newspaper=News.com.au|access-date=19 August 2019|archive-date=19 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190819005901/https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/celebrity-life/royals/prince-charles-mentor-lord-mountbatten-was-a-homosexual-with-a-perversion-for-young-boys-fbi-files-claim/news-story/5ab4fdb8c928610bd9a123a018b27b53|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Andrew Lownie]], a fellow of the [[Royal Historical Society]], wrote that the United States [[Federal Bureau of Investigation]] (FBI) maintained files regarding Mountbatten's alleged homosexuality.<ref name="sdaytimes">{{cite news |last=Tucker |first=Grant |title=Lord Mountbatten's 'lust for young men' revealed |url=https://www.thetimes.com/article/lord-mountbattens-lust-for-young-men-revealed-90swzmgms |work=The Sunday Times |date=18 August 2019 |access-date=31 March 2021 |archive-date=10 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210410004628/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/lord-mountbattens-lust-for-young-men-revealed-90swzmgms |url-status=live }}{{subscription required}}</ref> Lownie also interviewed several young men who claimed to have been in a relationship with Mountbatten. John Barratt, Mountbatten's personal and private secretary for 20 years,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2000/apr/23/monarchy.vanessathorpe|title=Book tells of 'bored, bullied' Queen|date=23 April 2000|work=The Guardian|access-date=23 November 2020|archive-date=27 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210327233712/https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2000/apr/23/monarchy.vanessathorpe|url-status=live}}</ref> has said Mountbatten was not a homosexual, and that it would have been impossible for such a fact to have been hidden from him.<ref name="thetimes1"/>

In 2019, files became public showing that the FBI knew in the 1940s of allegations that Mountbatten was homosexual and a [[paedophile]].<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/celebrity-life/royals/fbi-files-claim-lord-louis-mountbatten-had-a-perversion-for-young-boys/news-story/3647da9b3e938ae4aa5d0f3608639479| title = FBI files claim Lord Louis Mountbatten was known to be a homosexual and had a 'perversion for young boys| access-date = 6 August 2021| archive-date = 6 August 2021| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210806152355/https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/celebrity-life/royals/fbi-files-claim-lord-louis-mountbatten-had-a-perversion-for-young-boys/news-story/3647da9b3e938ae4aa5d0f3608639479| url-status = live}}</ref> The FBI file on Mountbatten, begun after he took on the role of Supreme Allied Commander in Southeast Asia in 1944, describes Mountbatten and his wife Edwina as "persons of extremely low morals", and contains a claim by American author [[Elizabeth Wharton Drexel|Elizabeth, Baroness Decies]], that Mountbatten was known to be a homosexual and had "a perversion for young boys".<ref name="sdaytimes" /><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.irishcentral.com/roots/history/lord-mountbatten-pedophile-allegations|title=FBI files allege Lord Mountbatten, murdered by the IRA, was a pedophile|date=20 August 2019|publisher=Irish Central|access-date=17 May 2020|archive-date=11 May 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200511232208/https://www.irishcentral.com/roots/history/lord-mountbatten-pedophile-allegations|url-status=live}}</ref> Norman Nield, Mountbatten's driver from 1942 to 1943, told the tabloid ''[[New Zealand Truth]]'' that he transported young boys aged 8 to 12 who had been procured for the Admiral to Mountbatten's official residence and was paid to keep quiet. [[Robin Bryans]] had also claimed to the Irish magazine ''Now'' that Mountbatten and [[Anthony Blunt]], along with others, were part of a ring that engaged in homosexual orgies and procured boys in their first year at public schools such as the [[Portora Royal School]] in [[Enniskillen]]. Former residents of the [[Kincora Boys' Home]] in [[Belfast]] have asserted that they were trafficked to Mountbatten at [[Classiebawn Castle]], his residence in [[Mullaghmore, County Sligo]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Graham|first=Ysenda Maxtone|url=https://www.thetimes.com/article/the-mountbattens-by-andrew-lownie-review-dickie-and-edwina-unwrapped-0jbnqllgd|title=The Mountbattens by Andrew Lownie review — the dark side of a famous marriage|work=The Times|date=30 August 2019|access-date=31 March 2021|archive-date=24 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210424093238/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/the-mountbattens-by-andrew-lownie-review-dickie-and-edwina-unwrapped-0jbnqllgd|url-status=live}}{{subscription required}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Johnson|first=Kathryn|url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/mountbatten-book-author-seeks-more-transparency-over-child-sex-allegations-38732730.html|title=Mountbatten book author seeks more transparency over child sex allegations|date=28 November 2019|work=Belfast Telegraph|access-date=17 May 2020|archive-date=27 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200927044250/https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/mountbatten-book-author-seeks-more-transparency-over-child-sex-allegations-38732730.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Burca|first=Joseph de|url=https://villagemagazine.ie/anglo-irish-vice-ring-online-book/ |title=The Anglo-Irish Vice Ring|work=Village magazine|location=Republic of Ireland|access-date=17 May 2020| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200601101311/https://villagemagazine.ie/anglo-irish-vice-ring-online-book/ | archive-date=1 June 2020}}</ref> These claims were dismissed by the [[Northern Ireland Historical Institutional Abuse Inquiry|Historical Institution Abuse (HIA) Inquiry]].<ref name=hia>{{cite web|url=https://www.hiainquiry.org/sites/hiainquiry/files/media-files/Chapter%2026%20-%20Module%2015%20-%20Kincora%20Boys%E2%80%99%20Home%20%28Part%201%29.pdf|title=Kincora Boys Home|page=59|volume=8|publisher=Historical Institution Abuse|access-date=18 November 2020|archive-date=31 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210731144408/https://www.hiainquiry.org/sites/hiainquiry/files/media-files/Chapter%2026%20-%20Module%2015%20-%20Kincora%20Boys%E2%80%99%20Home%20(Part%201).pdf|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="thetimes1"/><ref>{{Harvp|Moore|1996|p=90-91}}</ref> The HIA stated that the article making the original allegations "did not give any basis for the assertions that any of these people [Mountbatten and others] were connected with Kincora".<ref name=hia/>

In October 2022 Arthur Smyth, a former resident of Kincora, waived his anonymity to make allegations of child abuse against Mountbatten.<ref name=rte-court-to-hear-allegations-of-abuse-by-mountbatten>{{Cite news |title=Court to hear allegations of abuse by Mountbatten at Belfast home |url=https://www.rte.ie/news/2022/1016/1329499-abuse/ |last=Macauley |first=Conor |date=16 October 2022 |access-date=17 October 2022 |publisher=[[RTÉ News]] |archive-date=17 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221017162353/https://www.rte.ie/news/2022/1016/1329499-abuse/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The allegations are part of a civil case against state authorities responsible for the care of children in Kincora.<ref name=rte-court-to-hear-allegations-of-abuse-by-mountbatten/> Smyth claims that he was raped twice by Mountbatten in encounters facilitated by the house father of [[Kincora Boys' Home|Kincora]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=28 March 2023 |title=Dad opens up on how he believes top royal raped him when he was a boy |url=https://www.sundayworld.com/news/irish-news/dad-opens-up-on-how-he-believes-top-royal-raped-him-when-he-was-a-boy/a1595043263.html |access-date=23 June 2024 |website=SundayWorld.com |language=en}}</ref>

=== Daughter as heir ===
Lord and Lady Mountbatten had two daughters: [[Patricia Knatchbull]] (14 February 1924 – 13 June 2017),<ref>{{cite news |last1=Corby |first1=Tom |title=Countess Mountbatten of Burma |department=obituary |url=https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/jun/15/countess-mountbatten-of-burma-obituary |work=The Guardian |date=15 June 2017 |access-date=28 October 2017 |archive-date=29 October 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171029065002/https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/jun/15/countess-mountbatten-of-burma-obituary |url-status=live }}</ref> sometime lady-in-waiting to [[Queen Elizabeth II]], and [[Lady Pamela Hicks]] (born 19 April 1929), who accompanied them to India in 1947–1948 and was also sometime lady-in-waiting to the Queen.<ref name=burke/>

Since Mountbatten had no sons when he was created Viscount Mountbatten of Burma, of Romsey in the County of Southampton on 27 August 1946<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=37702 |date=27 August 1946|page=4305}}</ref> and then Earl Mountbatten of Burma and Baron Romsey, in the County of Southampton on 18 October 1947,<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=38109 |date=28 October 1947 |page=5074}}</ref> the [[Letters Patent]] were drafted such that in the event he left no sons or issue in the male line, the titles could pass to his daughters, in order of seniority of birth.<ref name="auto"/>

=== Leisure interests ===
Mountbatten was passionate about [[genealogy]], an interest he shared with other European royalty and nobility; according to Ziegler, he spent a great deal of his leisure time in studying his links with European royal houses.<ref>{{Harvp|Ziegler|1985|p=21, 117}}</ref> From 1957 until his death, Lord Mountbatten was Patron of the [[Cambridge University Heraldic and Genealogical Society]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Further Information|url=http://cuhags.soc.srcf.net/misc/|access-date=10 August 2022|website=Cambridge University Heraldic and Genealogical Society|archive-date=10 August 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220810091749/http://cuhags.soc.srcf.net/misc/|url-status=live}}</ref> He was equally passionate about orders, decorations and military ranks and uniforms, though he considered this interest to be a sign of vanity and constantly tried to distance himself from it, with limited success.<ref name="Harvp|Ziegler|1985|p=116–117">{{Harvp|Ziegler|1985|p=116–117}}</ref> Over the course of his career, he consistently attempted to secure as many orders and decorations as possible.<ref>{{Harvp|Vickers|1994|p=184–187}}</ref> Particular about details of dress, Mountbatten took an interest in fashion design, introducing trouser zips, a tail-coat with broad, high lapels and a "buttonless waistcoat" that could be pulled on over the head.<ref>{{Harvp|Ziegler|1985|p=109}}</ref> In 1949, having by then relinquished the office of [[Governor-General of India]] but retaining a keen interest in Indian affairs, he designed new flags, insignia, and details of uniforms for the [[Indian Armed Forces]] ahead of the transition from British dominion to republic; many of his designs were implemented and remain in use.<ref>{{cite news |last=Chhina |first=Man Aman Singh |date=2 September 2022 |title=Explained: How India adopted its military flags and badges based on Lord Mountbatten's suggestions |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/india-adopted-military-flags-badges-lord-mountbattens-suggestions-8125477/ |work=[[The Indian Express]] |access-date=2 September 2022 |archive-date=2 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220902050114/https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/india-adopted-military-flags-badges-lord-mountbattens-suggestions-8125477/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Like many members of the royal family, Mountbatten was an aficionado of polo.  Mountbatten introduced the sport to the Royal Navy in the 1920s and wrote a book on the subject.{{r|life1942081763}} He received US patent 1,993,334 in 1931 for a polo stick.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://patents.google.com/patent/US1993334A/en|title=Polo Stick: United States Patent 1993334|access-date=19 July 2021|archive-date=19 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210719173342/https://patents.google.com/patent/US1993334A/en|url-status=live}}</ref> He also served as Commodore of Emsworth Sailing Club in [[Hampshire]] from 1931.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.conservancy.co.uk/assets/assets/walks_ems_lang.pdf |title=Emsworth to Langstone |access-date=19 May 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140922184900/http://www.conservancy.co.uk/assets/assets/walks_ems_lang.pdf |archive-date=22 September 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref> He was a long-serving Patron of the [[Society for Nautical Research]] (1951–1979).<ref>{{Harvp|Murphy|Oddy|2010|p=191}}</ref> Apart from official documents, Mountbatten was not much of a reader, though he liked [[P. G. Wodehouse]]'s books. He enjoyed the cinema; his favourite stars were [[Fred Astaire]], [[Rita Hayworth]], [[Grace Kelly]] and [[Shirley MacLaine]]. In general, however, he had a limited interest in the arts.<ref name="Harvp|Ziegler|1985|p=116–117"/>

=== Mentorship of King Charles III ===
Mountbatten was a strong influence in the upbringing of his great-nephew, the future [[King Charles III]], and later as a mentor – "Honorary Grandfather" and "Honorary Grandson", they fondly called each other according to the [[Jonathan Dimbleby]] biography of the then-Prince – though according to both the Ziegler biography of Mountbatten and the Dimbleby biography of the Prince, the results may have been mixed. He from time to time strongly upbraided the Prince for showing tendencies towards the idle pleasure-seeking dilettantism of his predecessor as Prince of Wales, [[King Edward VIII]], whom Mountbatten had known well in their youth. Yet he also encouraged the Prince to enjoy the bachelor life while he could, and then to marry a young and inexperienced girl so as to ensure a stable married life.<ref>{{harvp|Junor|2005|p=72}}.</ref>

Mountbatten's qualification for offering advice to this particular heir to the throne was unique; it was he who had arranged the visit of [[King George VI]] and [[Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother|Queen Elizabeth]] to [[Dartmouth Royal Naval College]] on 22 July 1939, taking care to include the young Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret in the invitation, but assigning his nephew, [[Cadet]] [[Prince Philip of Greece]], to keep them amused while their parents toured the facility. This was the first recorded meeting of Charles's future parents<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.channel4.com/history/microsites/R/real_lives/prince_philip.html |title=The Real Prince Philip |access-date=12 May 2007 |last=Edwards |first=Phil |date=31 October 2000 |format=TV documentary |website=Real Lives: Channel 4's portrait gallery |publisher=Channel 4 |archive-date=7 April 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070407224048/http://www.channel4.com/history/microsites/R/real_lives/prince_philip.html |url-status=live }}</ref> but a few months later, Mountbatten's efforts nearly came to naught when he received a letter from his sister Alice in [[Athens]] informing him that Philip was visiting her and had agreed to [[repatriate]] permanently to Greece. Within days, Philip received a command from his cousin and sovereign, King [[George II of Greece]], to resume his naval career in Britain which, though given without explanation, the young prince obeyed.<ref>{{harvp|Vickers|2000|p=281}}.</ref>

In 1974, Mountbatten began corresponding with Charles about a potential marriage to his granddaughter, [[Amanda Knatchbull]], who was also Charles's second cousin.<ref name="Dimbleby204–206">{{harvp|Dimbleby|1994|pp=204–206}}.</ref> It was about this time he also recommended that the 25-year-old prince get on with "sowing some wild oats".<ref name="Dimbleby204–206"/> Charles dutifully wrote to Amanda's mother (who was also his godmother and his father's first cousin), [[Patricia Knatchbull, 2nd Countess Mountbatten of Burma|Lady Brabourne]], about his interest. Her answer was supportive, but advised him that she thought her daughter still rather young to be [[courted]].<ref name=JD>{{harvp|Dimbleby|1994|pp=263–265}}.</ref>

In February 1975, Charles visited New Delhi to play [[polo]] and was shown around [[Rashtrapati Bhavan]], the former Viceroy's House, by Mountbatten.<ref>{{cite news | title = People in Sports | url = https://www.nytimes.com/1975/02/22/archives/people-in-sports-bench-and-model-married-in-ohio.html | work = [[The New York Times]] | date = 22 February 1975 | access-date = 17 November 2020 | archive-date = 29 April 2022 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220429161921/https://www.nytimes.com/1975/02/22/archives/people-in-sports-bench-and-model-married-in-ohio.html | url-status = live }}</ref>

Four years later, Mountbatten secured an invitation for himself and Amanda to accompany Charles on his planned 1980 tour of India.<ref name=JD/> Their fathers promptly objected. Prince Philip thought that the Indian public's reception would more likely reflect their response to the uncle than to the nephew. [[John Knatchbull, 7th Baron Brabourne|Lord Brabourne]] counselled that the intense scrutiny of the press would be more likely to drive Mountbatten's godson and granddaughter apart than together.<ref name=JD/>

Charles was rescheduled to tour India alone, but Mountbatten did not live to the planned date of departure. When Charles finally did propose marriage to Amanda later in 1979, the circumstances were changed and she refused him.<ref name=JD/>