Random Royal Uncle Whose Mentorship Of Prince Charles Gave Him The Possibility To Manipulate Monarchy (13 items)

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  (#1) How Does Lord Mountbatten Fit Into The Complex Royal Family Tree?

  The relationship of Prince Charles to the British throne is quite simple - his parents are Queen Elizabeth II (Windsor) and Prince Philip (Mountbatten), Duke of Edinburgh. Being the first son of Queen Elizabeth's four children, he is first in line for the throne. 

  So, where does Louis Mountbatten fit in? His connection is through Prince Philip; he was Philip's uncle. Philip Mountbatten was the son of Alice of Battenberg and Andrew of Greece; Louis was Alice's brother. That made him great-uncle to Prince Charles, and it was through his young great-nephew that he tried to gain power.
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  (#2) Lord Mountbatten Was The One Who Set Up Prince Philip And Princess Elizabeth

  Lord Mountbatten began his habit of matchmaking in 1939. He set up a visit for King George VI and Queen Elizabeth to Dartmouth Royal Naval College, along with their daughters Elizabeth and Margaret. It was during that visit when 13-year-old Elizabeth met Prince Philip for the first time, since he had been placed in charge of hosting the two princesses while their family took a tour of the college.
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  (#3) He Allegedly Provided Prince Charles With A "Love Shack," So He Could Sow His Wild Oats Away From The Public Eye

  Lord Mountbatten was perhaps more involved in the young prince's love life than the average uncle or grandparent - but for a somewhat acceptable reason. His main interest was in helping Charles select a future wife that would represent his family and country well in the public eye, since he was to be the future King of England. 

  It's even been reported that one way he guided Charles was to encourage him to "sow his wild oats" before settling into a stressful and rigid royal lifestyle. He even went so far as to offer the use of his own home for Charles to host his affairs, so that they might remain out of the public eye.
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  (#4) Lord Mountbatten And Prince Philip Pushed Hard For The Royal Family to Take The Name Mountbatten

  As Lord Mountbatten pointed out to the newly married Queen Elizabeth II, it was customary for a wife to take her husband's last name. He and Elizabeth's new husband, Prince Philip, both pushed hard to change the family name from Windsor to Mountbatten. 

  But Elizabeth didn't budge. On the advice of her grandmother, Queen Mary, as well as Prime Minister Winston Churchill, she kept her historic last name and passed it on to her four children. 

  For his part, Prince Philip had a very difficult time getting past the fact that she didn't take his name. He was very open about his dissatisfaction, and was once quoted as saying, "I am nothing but a bloody amoeba. I am the only man in the country not allowed to give his name to his own children." 

  As a compromise, descendants of Elizabeth and Philip who do not hold the title HRH or Prince/Princess, bear the surname of Mountbatten-Windsor.
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  (#5) Louis Mountbatten Fulfilled A Mentor-Like Role In Charles's Life

  It makes sense that Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth II were kept busy while their children were growing up - they had an entire empire to run. A nanny named Helen Lightbody was hired to care for the couple's children, which further isolated them from their parents - it was said that Elizabeth was intimidated by Helen's tough attitude and stayed away from the nursery as a result. Helen was eventually fired.

  With his parents being absent so frequently, Charles sought someone to turn to as a young man. The solution, of course, came in the form of his great-uncle and honorary grandfather, Louis Mountbatten, who took up the task of guiding Charles through life and love.
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  (#6) Prince Charles Proposed To Mountbatten's Granddaughter, Amanda Knatchbull - She Declined

  Amanda Knatchbull was Prince Charles's cousin and Louis Mountbatten's granddaughter. Lord Mountbatten had been setting up the match for years, grooming Amanda to be the future Queen of England. When Charles first told Amanda's mother of his interest in her daughter, she informed him that although she approved, Amanda was only 17 and still too young.

  Eventually he made his move, but he may have been following the advice of his mentor rather than his own heart. The potential couple fell apart when Charles proposed, and Amanda said no. 
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  (#7) Lord Mountbatten Would Likely Not Have Approved Of Diana

  Lord Mountbatten played a significant role in the love life of Prince Charles. He often counseled him to be very selective with his potential partners, since whoever he would marry would eventually become the King of England. 

  In one interview, he was quoted as saying, "You have got to choose somebody very carefully, I think, who could fulfill this particular role… it has got be somebody very special."

  He strongly advised Charles against becoming involved with someone who had "a past" that could be exploited by the media and bring negative attention to the royal family. Diana came along shortly after Lord Mountbatten's death, and went against everything Prince Charles's mentor had told him. 
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  (#8) The Mountbatten Family Name Is German, And Went Through Some Changes To Fit In With British Society

  Lord Mountbatten's father, Prince Louis Alexander of Battenberg, was born a German aristocrat. However, he moved his family to England and joined the Navy. Because of anti-German sentiment during WWI, he was forced to step down from his position as Sea Lord. 

  Since the family was living permanently in England, they decided to change their last name to Mountbatten. It helped them fit in better, since the name Battenberg was clearly of German origin. 
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  (#9) Lord Mountbatten Married A Woman Named Edwina Ashley, But Their Marriage Had A Tragic End

  Lord Mountbatten courted Edwina Ashley on his first trip to India in 1921, when she was just 19. They had a unique marriage for the time, which some have described as "a model open marriage." They lived separate lives and each had extra lovers, but they remained "chummy" and somewhat happily married. The cost of a divorce, financially and socially, was too high for either of them to bear.

  Edwina tragically passed away in 1960 at the age of 58; she suffered a stroke while on a charity mission in Malaysia. Her burial at sea back in England was reportedly the only time Lord Mountbatten's two daughters had ever seen him cry.
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  (#10) He Was Killed By The IRA While On A Sailing Trip In Ireland

  Lord Mountbatten was killed by the Irish Republican Army in 1979 while he was on a leisure sailing trip off the coast of Ireland. His 14-year-old grandson Nicholas, a 15-year-old deckhand named Paul Maxwell, and 82-year-old Baroness Brabourne were also killed by the bomb that the IRA had placed on Mountbatten's boat.
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  (#11) He Served As The Last Viceroy Of India

  Lord Mountbatten could not have become the Viceroy of India at a more intense moment. He took the position in 1947 knowing that he would be the final Viceroy, overseeing the gaining of India's independence from Britain. 

  As the country was breaking free from the United Kingdom, it was also splitting in two. People like Mahatma Gandhi wanted a united India, but the Muslim League wanted to split into India and Pakistan (India would be a primarily Hindu nation, Pakistan primarily Muslim). 

  When violence between Muslims and Hindus began to escalate, Mountbatten made the controversial decision to speed up the independence process. In the end, two separate countries were created, and an estimated one million people died in the process of moving to whichever country promised sanctuary for their religious beliefs.
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  (#12) His Official Title Was 1st Earl Mountbatten Of Burma

  Louis Mountbatten had many titles throughout his career in the Navy. 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma, Admiral of the Fleet, Viceroy of India, First Sea Lord (a position once held by his father), and of course "honorary grandfather" to the young Prince Charles. 

  He had a long and industrious career in the British Navy, and was responsible for key leadership decisions in Asia. After all of his accomplishments, he turned his powerful influence on Prince Charles and became his mentor.
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  (#13) Want More British Royals?

  Whether it’s their lavish lifestyles, their misbehavior, the tradition and mystique that surrounds them, or the pop culture about them, the British royal family has intrigued generations and continues to do so. If you – or someone you know – just can’t get enough of Queen Elizabeth II and her clan, here are our staff’s picks of what to read, watch, and buy next.

  Elizabeth: A Celebration in Photos: A Celebration in Photographs of the Queen's Life and Reign is a vibrant, high-resolution collection of images perfect for anyone who enjoys the visual opulence of the British monarchy. Put together by former BBC correspondent Jennie Bond, the collection celebrates the towering presence of Queen Elizabeth II in British life.

  Fans of The Crown will enjoy the documentary Diana, Our Mother: Her Life and Legacy. In this unique, intimate look at the People’s Princess, her sons and heirs, Prince William and Prince Harry look back on her life and work.

  Britain's Royal Families: The Complete Genealogy by Alison Weir is ideal for the person who enjoys digging into the longer-view genealogy of the modern royal family. Drawing on countless authorities, both ancient and modern, Alison Weir explores the royal family tree in unprecedented depth and provides a comprehensive guide to the heritage of today’s royal family. 

  And for a lighter read that’s full of fun facts and surprising stories to delight longtime enthusiasts and new fans alike, This Is a Book for People Who Love the Royals digs into all of the aspects of everyone's favorite monarchy.

  And hang around! We’ve written more cool stuff about the British Royals ourselves:

  • Facts About The British Royal Family That Sound Made Up – But Aren’t
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