Penelope Knatchbull, Countess Mountbatten

Embed from Getty Images

Happy Birthday to Penelope Knatchbull, Countess Mountbatten of Burma, who turns 68 today! The daughter of Reginald Eastwood and Marian Hood, Penelope Eastwood grew up and was educated in Switzerland before studying at the London School of Economics, where she graduated in 1976. In 1979, she married Lord Romsey, eldest son of the 2nd Countess Mountbatten and the Baron Brabourne, just weeks after the tragic Assassination of his grandfathergrandmother and brother by the IRA.

Embed from Getty Images

The couple had three children, including Lady Alexandra Hooper, and resided on the family’s Broadlands estate until the Lord had an affair and moved to the Bahamas for a few years, with the then Lady Brabourne taking over the running of the Estate and remaining a member of the Queen’s inner circle, even after her husband’s return and their reconciliation. Lord Romsey succeeded his father as the 8th Baron Brabourne in 2005, and his mother as the 3rd Earl Mountbatten in 2017.

Embed from Getty Images

The Countess is the Founder of the Leonora Children’s Cancer Fund, now the Edwina Mountbatten and Leonora Children’s Foundation, the President of The Compassionate Friends, the Patron of Countess Mountbatten’s Own Legion of Frontiersmen of the Commonwealth and has also served as the High Steward of Romsey since 2010. The Countess was the Duke of Edinburgh’s carriage driving partner (she will among the 30 mourners at his Funeral tomorrow) and remains close to the Queen, as well as the Swedish and Luxembourg Royal Families. We wish Lady Mountbatten a very Happy Birthday and Many Happy Returns!

The Mountbatten Pearl Star Tiara

16

One thought on “Penelope Knatchbull, Countess Mountbatten

  1. I know the Countess’ place in Prince Philip’s funeral is a clear testament of the love and esteem in which she is held by the Royal Family. She was Prince Philip’s co-pilot after he gave up polo and took up carriage driving, a sport not for the faint of heart. I can imagine that this will be a sad birthday for her.

Leave a Reply