Lord Mountbatten was a beloved member of the Royal Family.
When he passed away, his death shook those who were close to him, including Prince Phillip and Prince Charles.
Who was Lord Mountbatten?
Lord Mountbatten was born Prince Louis of Battenberg at Windsor on 25 June 1900.
He was born at Frogmore House, a Grade I listed building belonging to the Crown estate.
Prince Louis was given the nickname Dickie, despite not having Richard as his name.
It was suggested by Queen Victoria, who originally suggested “Nicky”, but Dickie was used to avoid confusion with the many Nickys of the Russian Imperial Family.
He had two daughters with wife Edwina Ashley – Lady Patricia, Countess Mountbatten of Burma and Lady Pamela.
During the First World War, Lord Mountbatten served at sea in the Royal Navy.
In 1917 the name Battenberg was dropped and changed to Mountbatten by the family as anti-German sentiment grew in the United Kingdom.
Lord Mountbatten continued his work in the Navy whilst studying English Literature at Cambridge University.
When the Second World War began in 1939, he commanded the destroyer HMS Kelly, which was later sunk off the coast of Crete by the Nazis.
He was later appointed Chief of Combined Operations and was responsible for the failed attack on Dieppe in August 1942.
This attack caused almost 60% loss of life, mostly Canadians, causing Mountbatten to become a controversial figure in Canada.
Lord Mountbatten later became the Supreme Allied Commander of the Southeast Asian Theater and oversaw the recapture of Burma.
He also welcomed the Japanese surrender in 1945, something he considered a personal high point in his life.
The Southeast Asia Command was disbanded and he returned to England as a rear admiral, then was appointed Knight of the Garter and became Earl Mountbatten of Burma.
Prime Minister Clement Attlee convinced Lord Mountbatten to serve as the last Viceroy of India in 1947.
This involved overseeing British India’s transition to independence with the aim of creating a united India.
He later returned to the navy and became First Sea Lord.
His father had done the same job 40 years before him.
In 1959, he became Chief of the Defense Staff, the Prime Minister’s longest-serving uniformed military advisor.
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How did Lord Mountbatten die and who was killed with him?
Lord Mountbatten was murdered aged 79 by the IRA while on holiday at his summer home in August 1979.
A bomb was planted on his boat in Mullaghmore, Ireland. Mountbatten later left in the boat.
However, he was not alone. Passengers included:
- Your daughter Patricia
- Your husband John
- Their 14-year-old twin sons, Nicholas and Timothy
- John’s mother, Doreen
- Crew member Paul Maxwell, aged 15
Nicholas and Paul died on the boat, while Doreen died from her injuries the following day. She was 83 years old.
The IRA claimed responsibility for the murder, labeling it “an execution” and published a statement promising to continue the “noble fight to expel British intruders from our homeland”.
Skilled bomb maker Thomas McMahon was convicted of murder and imprisoned for life.
He was released in 1998 under the Good Friday Agreement, which sought to end Northern Ireland’s Troubles.
How was Lord Mountbatten related to Prince Phillip?
Lord Mountbatten’s great-grandmother on his mother’s side was Queen Victoria, who is the great-great-grandmother of the late Queen Elizabeth.
Lord Mountbatten’s sister was Princess Alice of Battenberg, who married Prince Andrew of Greece and Denmark.
She was Prince Philip’s mother.
During his youth, Lord Mountbatten traveled with Prince Edward, brother of King George VI, forming a fast friendship.
He was later appointed personal aide-de-camp by Edward VII, George VI and the late Queen Elizabeth.
The naval officer was King Charles’ great-uncle and was described by royalty as “the grandfather I never had”.
Their relationship was so strong that Lord Mountbatten even coached the king in his love life.
Lord Mountbatten even suggested that King Charles marry his granddaughter Amanda, who refused the proposal.
He was close to the royal family and organized the first meeting between the Queen and Prince Philip.
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
