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Louis Mountbatten 1900-1979 was a British naval commander who became Supreme Allied Commander, South East Asia Command during World War II. In 1947, he was appointed the last Viceroy of India and oversaw the partition that created India and Pakistan. A cousin of the royal family, he was assassinated by the IRA off the coast of Ireland in 1979.
Names, aliases, and relatives of Louis Mountbatten — birth name, kin, and personal ties.
Louis Mountbatten by the numbers — life, work, and family.
Louis Mountbatten — early life, career, personal life, and legacy.
Mountbatten was born in Windsor in 1900 to Prince Louis of Battenberg and Princess Victoria of Hesse and by Rhine. Growing up among European royalty, he visited the Russian imperial court as a child and developed a lifelong attachment to his cousin Grand Duchess Maria. As a great-grandson of Queen Victoria, he was educated at Lockers Park School and Christ’s College before joining the Royal Navy during World War I.
Mountbatten served as captain of the destroyer HMS Kelly, which was torpedoed off Norway in 1940 and sunk off Crete in 1941. His experiences inspired his friend Noël Coward to write the film In Which We Serve 1942. In 1943, he was appointed Supreme Allied Commander, South East Asia Command, leading campaigns against Japan. After the war, in 1947, he was made Viceroy of India and oversaw the partition and independence of India and Pakistan, becoming the first Governor-General of the Dominion of India.
Mountbatten married Edwina Mountbatten in 1922, and they had two daughters, Patricia and Pamela. He was a maternal uncle of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, and remained close to the royal family. His sister Princess Alice of Battenberg became a nun, and his sister Louise married King Gustaf VI Adolf of Sweden. He was assassinated in 1979 while on holiday in Ireland.
Mountbatten is remembered as the last Viceroy of India, ending British rule over the subcontinent. His role in the partition remains controversial, but he was widely hailed for his diplomatic skill. He received numerous honors, including the Order of the Garter and the Distinguished Service Order. His assassination in 1979 brought global attention to the Northern Ireland conflict. Today, he is most remembered for overseeing the transition to Indian independence.
The complete filmography of Louis Mountbatten — every film, TV show, and documentary credit, ranked by popularity.
Every award, honor, and recognition received by Louis Mountbatten — Grammys, hall-of-fame inductions, civic honors, lifetime achievements.
Louis Mountbatten's bibliography — every authored, edited, and co-written book, ranked by edition count.
A wall of memorable lines from Louis Mountbatten — lyrics, interviews, and off-the-cuff remarks captured over a lifetime.
There Are Probably Greater Painters Than Noel, Greater Novelists Than Noel, Greater Librettists, Greater Composers of Music, Greater Singers, Greater Dancers, Greater Comedians, Greater Tragedians, Greater Stage Producers, Greater Film Directors, Greater Cabaret Artists, Greater TV Stars. If There Are, They Are Fourteen Different People. Only One Man Combined All Fourteen Labels – the Master.
If the Third World War Is Fought with Nuclear Weapons, the Fourth Will Be Fought with Bows and Arrows.
It Never Entered My Father’s Mind nor My Mind Ever to Do a Job Other Than at One’s Best Ability.
My Trophy Value Exceeded My Military Usefulness.
I Am Much More Intelligent Than You Think.
Russia Was an Autocracy at That Time, the Tsar Had Absolute Power and Was Answerable Only to God. yet Anyone Less Like an Autocrat Than My Uncle Nicky Would Be Hard to Imagine…he Was a Very, Very Kind-hearted Simple Charming Man. but at the Same Time He Was Rather Weak and Indecisive.
‘The Tsar Was My Father’s First Cousin…and the Tsarina Was My Aunt on My Mother’s Side. Another Aunt, Elizabeth, Had Married the Grand Duke Serge. so Our Russian Connections Were Very Close. We Used to See Each Other Quite Often Either in Germany, or in Russia. I Loved My Russian Family and I Loved Russia Too.
These Old Family Photograph Albums Bring Back Memories of All the Happy Times We Had Together in That Almost Unbelievable World Before the Revolution. in This Photo with My Cousins I Was Just Ten…my Little Cousin the Tsesarevich Alexei Is in the Carriage. He Was Heir to the Russian Throne and Was Younger Than Me by About Four Years and in Very Poor Health Sometimes… He Was a Haemophiliac, Which Was a Great Worry to Us All.
He Was Never Happier Than When He Was Outside Playing with His Children. I Remember He Would Purchase Us All Chocolate-ices, and After, Settle Down with a Long Book to Read Quietly in Peace.
Little-known facts about Louis Mountbatten — origins, oddities, and behind-the-scenes details from a public life.
The German name Battenberg was changed to Mountbatten in 1917 during World War I, as many royal family members anglicized their names to show loyalty to Britain.
Mountbatten was a first cousin of Grand Duchesses Olga, Tatiana, Maria, Anastasia, and Tsarevich Alexei of Russia.
As a child, he visited the Russian Imperial Court in St Petersburg and developed a close bond with his cousin Grand Duchess Marie, keeping her photograph by his bedside his entire life.
He was a nephew of Tsar Nicholas II, and until late in life he believed the British government under David Lloyd George had denied the tsar’s family asylum; it was later confirmed that asylum was offered but withdrawn due to objections from King George V.
He died when terrorists bombed his small fishing boat, killing him along with two relatives and a local boy.
He was the son of Prince Louis of Battenberg and Princess Victoria of Hesse and by Rhine, and a great-grandson of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert.
During the early days of WWII, Mountbatten captained the destroyer HMS Kelly, which was torpedoed off Norway in May 1940, then sunk off Crete in May 1941. His friend Noël Coward turned these experiences into the film In Which We Serve 1942, co-directed with David Lean.
From March to August 1947, he served as the last Viceroy of India, overseeing the independence of India and Pakistan.
In 1969, he presented composer John Barry with the Anthony Asquith Award for Film Music for The Lion in Winter 1968 at the BAFTA ceremony.
His sister Louise became the second wife of King Gustaf VI Adolf of Sweden.
During WWII, he became close friends with U.S. Naval Officer Rear Admiral Gene Markey, a producer and screenwriter.
He was the father of Pamela Hicks and Patricia Mountbatten, and grandfather of Norton, Michael John, and Tim Knatchbull.
He was the brother of Princess Alice of Battenberg, mother of Prince Philip.
His other titles included Lord Mountbatten, First Earl Mountbatten of Burma, and Viscount Mountbatten of India.
Quick answers to the questions readers ask most about Louis Mountbatten.
Celebrities similar to Louis Mountbatten — same craft, ranked by reach.
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