Tatler October 2019 tatler.comLORD IVAR MOUNTBATTEN STILL HASN’T
got used to the idea of having a
husband. ‘I just find it quite odd,’
he confides, before laughing with a
deep roar. ‘I suppose I’m quite tra-
ditional.’ It’s been exactly a year
since the 56-year-old married James
Coyle, 57. Ivar is the first member
of the extended British Royal fam-
ily to come out publicly as gay.
The lineages of the Windsors and
Mountbattens are closely interwo-
ven; Ivar is related to both the
Queen and Prince Philip. Ivar’s
father, David Mountbatten, was
first cousin to Prince Philip, and
3rd Marquess of Milford Haven,
whose uncle Louis Mountbatten
was the last Viceroy of India, and
mentor to Prince Charles.
The small ceremony took place
in the chapel at Bridwell, Ivar’s
Grade-I listed home in Devon,
that stands white as a wedding
cake at the crown of its own deer
park. It was a far cry from his very
grand first wedding to Penny
Thompson in April 1994. On that
occasion, the groom wore white tie
and guests included Prince Edward
and Princess Margaret, who helped
Penny to stick pins into her hair to
help keep the giant family tiara
from toppling off. The lavish re-
ception after the service was held
at Moyns Park, the vast Elizabethan
house in Essex that Ivar inherited
from a cousin. This time round,
there were no Royal witnesses,
though the Earl and Countess of
Wessex were invited and sent their
warmest wishes. ]bridwell revisitedAt their handsome country estate in Devon, newlyweds
Lord Ivar Mountbatten and James Coyle open up to
Matthew Bell about blazing a new trail for the Royal Family
Photographed by SIMON UPTON
Styled by DAVID NOLANPRIDE AND JOY
Lord Ivar Mountbatten
(right) and his new husband,
James Coyle, in the deer
park at Bridwell
James wears coat, £750, by
DAKS. Jumper, £750; trousers,
£290, both by CONNOLLY.
Loafers, £430, by CROCKETT
& JONES. Ivar wears jumper,
£245, by ANDERSON &
SHEPPARD. Trousers, £475, by
HUNTSMAN. Boots, Ivar’s own10-19LIV-Mountbatten.indd 96 10/08/2019 03:06
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