Lord Mountbatten Naval in colour Allan Warren

The

ceremonial funeral In the United Kingdom, state funerals are usually reserved for monarchs. The most recent was the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II on 19 September 2022. A state funeral may also be held to honour a highly distinguished figure following the ...

Admiral of the Fleet An admiral of the fleet or shortened to fleet admiral is a senior naval flag officer rank, usually equivalent to field marshal and marshal of the air force. An admiral of the fleet is typically senior to an admiral. It is also a generic ter ...

The 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma took place on Wednesday, 5 September 1979, at

Westminster Abbey Westminster Abbey, formally titled the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter at Westminster, is an Anglican church in the City of Westminster, London, England. Since 1066, it has been the location of the coronations of 40 English and British m ...

following his assassination by the

Provisional Irish Republican Army The Provisional Irish Republican Army (Provisional IRA), officially known as the Irish Republican Army (IRA; ) and informally known as the Provos, was an Irish republican paramilitary force that sought to end British rule in Northern Ireland ...

on Monday, 27 August 1979, off the coast of the

Mullaghmore Peninsula The Mullaghmore Peninsula (), also referred to as Mullaghmore Head, is a small peninsula in the north of County Sligo, Ireland. The coastal village of Mullaghmore is the peninsula's sole settlement. The village has 136 year-round residents acco ...

County Sligo County Sligo ( , ) is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is in the Northern and Western Region and is part of the Provinces of Ireland, province of Connacht. Sligo is the administrative capital and largest town in ...

, Ireland. Mountbatten's body was brought back to

Great Britain Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the north-west coast of continental Europe, consisting of the countries England, Scotland, and Wales. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the List of European ...

after his assassination, where it briefly rested in

Romsey Abbey Romsey Abbey is the name currently given to a parish church of the Church of England in Romsey, a market town in Hampshire, England. Until the Dissolution of the Monasteries it was the church of a Benedictine Order, Benedictine nunnery. The surv ...

. The day before the funeral it was brought to The Queen's Chapel, St James's Palace. On the morning of 5 September, his flag-draped coffin was carried on a gun carriage drawn by 122

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...

ratings to Westminster Abbey for the ceremonial funeral. The televised funeral service was presided over by

Edward Carpenter Edward Carpenter (29 August 1844 – 28 June 1929) was an English utopian socialist, poet, philosopher, anthologist, an early activist for gay rights and prison reform whilst advocating vegetarianism and taking a stance against vivise ...

Dean of Westminster The Dean of Westminster is the head of the chapter at Westminster Abbey. Due to the abbey's status as a royal peculiar, the dean answers directly to the British monarch (not to the Bishop of London as ordinary, nor to the Archbishop of Canterb ...

, with the commendation given by

Donald Coggan Frederick Donald Coggan, Baron Coggan, (9 October 1909 – 17 May 2000) was the 101st Archbishop of Canterbury from 1974 to 1980.

Archbishop of Canterbury The archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and a principal leader of the Church of England, the Primus inter pares, ceremonial head of the worldwide Anglican Communion and the bishop of the diocese of Canterbury. The first archbishop ...

, and clergy from several Christian denominations leading prayers. It was attended by members of Mountbatten's family, the British royal family, members of European royal houses, politicians, diplomats and military leaders from around the world. Following the service, he was interred in Romsey Abbey.

Planning

Mountbatten himself had been heavily involved in the planning of his own funeral down to the smallest detail. He had even arranged a summer menu and a winter menu to be served on the train from London to Romsey, dependent on which season he should die in. As a royal ceremonial funeral, it was planned in consultation with the

Lord Chamberlain's Office The Lord Chamberlain's Office is a department within the British Royal Household. It is concerned with matters such as protocol, state visits, investitures, garden parties, royal weddings and funerals. For example, in April 2005 it organised t ...

, and given the code name "Operation Freeman." He ensured all branches of the Armed Forces would be represented. The cost of the funeral was borne by both the government and Mountbatten's family. He had originally wished to be buried alongside his parents in the Battenberg Chapel at

St Mildred's Church, Whippingham St Mildred's Church, Whippingham is the Church of England parish church of the village of Whippingham, Isle of Wight. History The village of Whippingham, and St Mildred's Church as its parish church, are best known for their connections wi ...

, on the

Isle of Wight The Isle of Wight (Help:IPA/English, /waɪt/ Help:Pronunciation respelling key, ''WYTE'') is an island off the south coast of England which, together with its surrounding uninhabited islets and Skerry, skerries, is also a ceremonial county. T ...

, but later changed his mind, deciding to be buried in

, near his home,

Broadlands Broadlands is a country house located in the civil parish of Romsey Extra, near the town of Romsey in the Test Valley district of Hampshire, England. Its formal gardens and historic landscape are Grade II* listed on the Register of Histori ...

, instead.

Events preceding

The remains of Mountbatten were embalmed by

Desmond Henley Desmond Charles Henley, OBE (1927, Marylebone, London – 11 November 2005, Portsmouth) was an English embalmer. Career After leaving school, Henley joined the London company of funeral directors James H. Kenyon Ltd in 1941. Established in 188 ...

and placed in a lead-lined oak coffin. His coffin, along with Doreen, Lady Brabourne's, and Nicholas Knatchbull's were flown back to the United Kingdom arriving at

Southampton Airport Southampton Airport is an international airport located in both Eastleigh and Southampton, Hampshire, in England. The airport is located north-northeast of central Southampton. The southern tip of the runway lies within the Southampton u ...

where they were met by the

Duke of Edinburgh Duke of Edinburgh, named after the capital city of Scotland, Edinburgh, is a substantive title that has been created four times since 1726 for members of the British royal family. It does not include any territorial landholdings and does not pr ...

and the

Prince of Wales Prince of Wales (, ; ) is a title traditionally given to the male heir apparent to the History of the English monarchy, English, and later, the British throne. The title originated with the Welsh rulers of Kingdom of Gwynedd, Gwynedd who, from ...

. From there they were taken to

by hearse. From there, Mountbatten's coffin was taken to

, where members of his staff stood vigil for two days. On 4 September, his coffin was taken to London where it lay in The Queen's Chapel, St James's Palace. Upon arriving at the chapel,

Gerald Ellison Gerald Alexander Ellison (19 August 1910 – 18 October 1992) was an Church of England, Anglican bishop and rower. He was the Bishop of Chester from 1955 to 1973 and the Bishop of London from 1973 to 1981. Early life and education Ellison was t ...

Bishop of London The bishop of London is the Ordinary (church officer), ordinary of the Church of England's Diocese of London in the Province of Canterbury. By custom the Bishop is also Dean of the Chapel Royal since 1723. The diocese covers of 17 boroughs o ...

, and Canon Anthony Caesar, Sub-Dean of Her Majesty's Chapels Royal and

Deputy Clerk of the Closet The Deputy Clerk of the Closet is the Domestic Chaplain to the Monarch, Sovereign of the United Kingdom. The office was created in 1677. Since 1931, the Deputy Clerk is also the sub-dean of the Chapel Royal (under the Clerk of the Closet). The De ...

, presided over a brief service.

Procession

At 10:30 AM BST on the morning of the funeral, Mountbatten's coffin, draped in the

Union Flag The Union Jack or Union Flag is the ''de facto'' national flag of the United Kingdom. The Union Jack was also used as the official flag of several British colonies and dominions before they adopted their own national flags. It is sometimes a ...

, was borne from The Queen's Chapel on the

Royal Navy State Funeral Gun Carriage The Royal Navy State Funeral Gun Carriage is a converted BL 12-pounder 6 cwt gun, Ordnance, BL, 12 pdr 6 cwt, MK II, gun carriage which has been used in the UK to bear the coffin at the funeral processions of: Queen Victoria; King Edward VII; K ...

. The gun carriage was drawn by 122 Royal Navy ratings, rather than horses, an honour typically reserved for state funerals, yet a detail which emphasized Mountbatten's lifelong links with the Royal Navy. His

bicorne The bicorne or bicorn (two-cornered) is a historical form of hat widely adopted in the 1790s as an item of uniform by European and American army and naval officers. Most generals and staff officers of the Napoleonic period wore bicornes, whic ...

Admiral's hat,

gold stick The Gold Stick and the Silver Stick are formal bodyguard positions in the British Royal Household, serving as personal attendants to the Monarchy of the United Kingdom, Sovereign on ceremonial occasions. Gold Stick Although now only in evi ...

and sword of honour sat atop the coffin. Ahead of the coffin marched the

Major-General commanding the Household Division The Major-General commanding the Household Division commands the Household Division of the British Army and is also the General Officer Commanding London District. In British Army parlance, "The Major-General" always refers to the Major-General ...

John Swinton of Kimmerghame Major-General Sir John Swinton of Kimmerghame, (21 April 1925 – 4 October 2018) was a British Army officer who served as Major-General commanding the Household Division and General Officer Commanding London District from 1976 until his retir ...

, six officers carried purple cushions with the insignias of his orders and decorations – including the

Order of the Garter The Most Noble Order of the Garter is an order of chivalry founded by Edward III of England in 1348. The most senior order of knighthood in the Orders, decorations, and medals of the United Kingdom, British honours system, it is outranked in ...

Order of the Star of India The Most Exalted Order of the Star of India is an order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria in 1861. The Order includes members of three classes: # Knight Grand Commander ( GCSI) # Knight Commander ( KCSI) # Companion ( CSI) No appointments ...

Legion of Honour The National Order of the Legion of Honour ( ), formerly the Imperial Order of the Legion of Honour (), is the highest and most prestigious French national order of merit, both military and Civil society, civil. Currently consisting of five cl ...

and

Legion of Merit The Legion of Merit (LOM) is a Awards and decorations of the United States military, military award of the United States Armed Forces that is given for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievemen ...

– and the Secretary of the

Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood The Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood, or simply the Central Chancery, is an office of the Lord Chamberlain's department within the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. It is responsible for the administration of orde ...

, Major-General

Peter Gillett Major-General Sir Peter Bernard Gillett, (8 December 1913 – 4 July 1989) was a British Army officer. Military career Gillett was commissioned into the Royal Artillery on 1 February 1934. After serving in the rank of captain in the Second Wor ...

. Military personnel from the United Kingdom, Canada, France, India, Burma and the United States—including 70 sailors and 50 marines—all marched. Mountbatten's charger, named Octave but nicknamed "Dolly," was lead before the coffin with his boots reversed in the stirrups. Mountbatten's grandsons, Lord Romsey, Michael-John Knatchbull, Philip Knatchbull and

Ashley Hicks Ashley Louis David Hicks (born 18 July 1963) is a British interior designer, author, photographer and artist. He is the only son of Lady Pamela Hicks (née Mountbatten) and David Nightingale Hicks. Hicks has designed interiors in Europe, the Unit ...

, and son-in-law

David Hicks David Matthew Hicks (born 7 August 1975) is an Australian who attended al-Qaeda's Al Farouq training camp in Afghanistan. Hicks traveled to Pakistan after converting to Islam to learn more about the faith, eventually leading to his time in th ...

walked behind the coffin, as did the

, the

Duke of Gloucester Duke of Gloucester ( ) is a British royal title (after Gloucester), often conferred on one of the sons of the reigning monarch. The first four creations were in the Peerage of England and the last in the Peerage of the United Kingdom; the curre ...

, the

Duke of Kent Duke of Kent is a title that has been created several times in the peerages of Great Britain and the United Kingdom, most recently as a royal dukedom for the fourth son of King George V. Since 1942, the title has been held by Prince Edwa ...

and

Prince Michael of Kent Prince Michael of Kent (Michael George Charles Franklin; born 4 July 1942) is a member of the British royal family who is 53rd in line to the British throne as of 2025. The younger son of Prince George, Duke of Kent, and Princess Marina of Gr ...

. Members of the royal family were followed by the Chief of the Defence Staff, Admiral of the Fleet

Sir Terence Lewin Admiral of the Fleet Terence Thornton Lewin, Baron Lewin (19 November 1920 – 23 January 1999) was a career Royal Navy officer, best known for his service as Chief of the Defence Staff during the Falklands War in 1982, in which he acted both a ...

, and the chiefs of staff of the three branches of the armed forces, Admiral Sir Henry Leach, Field Marshal Sir Edwin Bramall and Air Chief Marshal Sir Michael Beetham. Behind them followed three senior officers representing the United States Armed Forces, three senior officers from the Burmese Army and Air Force, Elder Brethren of

Trinity House The Corporation of Trinity House of Deptford Strond, also known as Trinity House (and formally as The Master, Wardens and Assistants of the Guild Fraternity or Brotherhood of the most glorious and undivided Trinity and of St Clement in the ...

, the

Viscount Slim Viscount Slim, of Yarralumla, Australian Capital Territory, Yarralumla in the Capital Territory of Australia and of Bishopston, Bristol, Bishopston in the City and County of Bristol, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was creat ...

, President and Vice Chairman of the

Burma Star Association The Burma Star Association is a British veterans' association for ex-servicemen and women of all services who served in the Burma Campaign of World War II. The criterion for membership is the award of the Burma Star for service in Burma during Wor ...

, detachments of the Royal Navy Association, survivors of the HMS ''Kelly'' (which had been under Mountbatten's command), and the standards of the

Royal British Legion The Royal British Legion (RBL), formerly the British Legion, is a British charity providing financial, social and emotional support to members and veterans of the British Armed Forces, their families and dependants. Membership Service in th ...

and the Burma Star Association. A detachment of the

Blues and Royals The Blues and Royals (Royal Horse Guards and 1st Dragoons) (RHG/D) is a Cavalry regiments of the British Army, cavalry regiment of the British Army, part of the Household Cavalry. The Colonel (United Kingdom)#Colonel of the Regiment, Colonel of ...

mounted squadron brought up the rear of the procession. Eight honorary

pallbearer A pallbearer is one of several participants who help carry the casket at a funeral. They may wear white gloves in order to prevent damaging the casket and to show respect to the deceased person. Some traditions distinguish between the roles o ...

s, Sir Edward Ashmore, Sir Robert Ford, John T. Hayward,

Ronald Lynsdale Pereira Admiral Ronald Lynsdale 'Ronnie' Pereira, PVSM, AVSM (25 May 1923 – 14 October 1993) was a flag officer in the Indian Navy. He served as the ninth Chief of Naval Staff from 1979 to 1982. He is considered to be one of the architects of the mo ...

, Sir John Richards, Sir William Dickson and

Alain de Boissieu Alain de Boissieu Déan de Luigné (; 5 July 1915 – 5 April 2006) was a French general who served in the Free French Forces during World War II, later becoming Army chief of staff (1971–1975). He was the son-in-law of General Charles de Gau ...

walked beside the coffin. Music during the procession was provided by the

Central Band of the Royal Air Force The Central Band of the Royal Air Force is an Royal Air Force, RAF regular band and is part of Royal Air Force Music Services. The motto of the band is ''Aere Invicti'' (Latin for "Invincible with the Brass"). History The Central Band of the R ...

Royal Marines Band Service The Royal Marines Band Service is the musical wing of the Royal Navy and an independent element of the Royal Marines. It currently consists of five Military band, bands plus a training wing – the Royal Marines School of Music at HMNB Portsmout ...

Band of the Grenadier Guards The Band of the Grenadier Guards is the military band of the Grenadier Guards, which is an infantry regiment of the British Army. It was raised between 1660 with first a drum and 1665, when a fife was added. History The birth of the Grenadie ...

and the

Band of the Coldstream Guards The Band of the Coldstream Guards is one of the oldest and best known bands in the British Army, having been officially formed on 16 May 1785 under the command of Major C F Eley. History The band of the Coldstream Guards was officially formed u ...

, and the tenor bell at

tolled. The procession passed down Marlborough Road, The Mall, through

Horse Guards Parade Horse Guards Parade is a large Military parade, parade ground off Whitehall in central London (at British national grid reference system, grid reference ). It is the site of the annual ceremonies of Trooping the Colour, which commemorates the K ...

, down

Whitehall Whitehall is a road and area in the City of Westminster, Central London, England. The road forms the first part of the A roads in Zone 3 of the Great Britain numbering scheme, A3212 road from Trafalgar Square to Chelsea, London, Chelsea. It ...

, through

Parliament Square Parliament Square is a square at the northwest end of the Palace of Westminster in the City of Westminster in central London, England. Laid out in the 19th century, it features a large open green area in the centre with trees to its west, and ...

and Sanctuary Road to the abbey.

Service

The service began at 11:30 AM BST and was conducted by the

, according to the 1662 ''Book of Common Prayer''. The

read the lesson, taken from

Psalm 107 Psalm 107 is the 107th psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in English in the King James Version: "O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.". The Book of Psalms is part of the third section of the Hebrew ...

: 23–26, 28–30. The commendation was given by the

Donald Coggan Frederick Donald Coggan, Baron Coggan, (9 October 1909 – 17 May 2000) was the 101st Archbishop of Canterbury from 1974 to 1980.

. Prayers were said by clergy from several Christian denominations. The service lasted thirty minutes. The music during the service was under the direction of Douglas Guest, the organist and master of the choristers of Westminster Abbey. The organ was played by the sub-organist,

Christopher Herrick Christopher Herrick is an English concert organist best known for his interpretation of J.S. Bach’s organ music and for his many recordings on the finest pipe organs from around the world. Early life Born in Bletchley, Buckinghamshire, Herri ...

. The fanfare, composed by

Sir Vivian Dunn Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Francis Vivian Dunn (24 December 1908 – 3 April 1995) was a British conductor who was Director of Music of the Portsmouth Division of the Royal Marines from 1931 to 1953 and Principal Director of Music of the Royal Ma ...

, "

Last Post The "Last Post" is a British and Commonwealth bugle call used at military funerals, and at ceremonies commemorating those who have died in war. Versions The "Last Post" is either an A or a B♭ bugle call, primarily within British infan ...

" and "

Reveille "Reveille" ( , ), called in French "Le Réveil" is a bugle call, trumpet call, drum, fife-and-drum or pipes call most often associated with the military; it is chiefly used to wake military personnel at sunrise. The name comes from (or ), the ...

" were played by trumpeters and buglers from Royal Marines School of Music. As the coffin was carried into the abbey,

William Croft William Croft (baptised 30 December 1678 – 14 August 1727) was an English composer and organist. Life Croft was born at the Manor House, Nether Ettington, Warwickshire. He was educated at the Chapel Royal under the instruction of John Blow, ...

's funeral sentences were sung by the choir. The hymns sung during the service were "God of our fathers, known of old," words taken from the poem " Recessional" by

Rudyard Kipling Joseph Rudyard Kipling ( ; 30 December 1865 – 18 January 1936)''The Times'', (London) 18 January 1936, p. 12. was an English journalist, novelist, poet, and short-story writer. He was born in British Raj, British India, which inspired much ...

and sung to the tune "Lest We Forget" by George Frederic Blanchard, "

I Vow to Thee, My Country "I Vow to Thee, My Country" is a British patriotic hymn, created in 1921 when music by Gustav Holst had a poem by Sir Cecil Spring Rice set to it. The music originated as a wordless melody, which Holst later named "Thaxted", taken from the "J ...

," words by Sir Cecil Spring Rice and sung to the tune "

Thaxted Thaxted is a town and civil parish in the Uttlesford district of north-west Essex, England. The town is in the valley of the River Chelmer, not far from its source in the nearby village of Debden, and is 97 metres (318 feet) above sea level (w ...

" by

Gustav Holst Gustav Theodore Holst (born Gustavus Theodore von Holst; 21 September 1874 – 25 May 1934) was an English composer, arranger and teacher. Best known for his orchestral suite ''The Planets'', he composed many other works across a range ...

, "

And did those feet in ancient time "And did those feet in ancient time" is a poem by William Blake from the preface to his epic '' Milton: A Poem in Two Books'', one of a collection of writings known as the Prophetic Books. The date of 1804 on the title page is probably when the ...

," words taken from the poem "Jerusalem" by

William Blake William Blake (28 November 1757 – 12 August 1827) was an English poet, painter, and printmaker. Largely unrecognised during his life, Blake has become a seminal figure in the history of the Romantic poetry, poetry and visual art of the Roma ...

and sung to the tune of the same name by

Sir Hubert Parry Sir Charles Hubert Hastings Parry, 1st Baronet (27 February 1848 – 7 October 1918), was an English composer, teacher and historian of music. Born in Richmond Hill, Bournemouth, Parry's first major works appeared in 1880. As a composer he is ...

, and "

Eternal Father, Strong to Save "Eternal Father, Strong to Save" is a British hymn traditionally associated with seafarers, particularly in the maritime armed services. Written in 1860, its author, William Whiting, was inspired by the dangers of the sea described in Psal ...

", words by William Whiting and sung to the tune "Melita" by

John Bacchus Dykes John Bacchus Dykes (10 March 1823 – 22 January 1876) was an English clergyman and hymnwriter. Early life He was born in Hull, England, the fifth child and third son of William Hey Dikes or Dykes, a ship builder, and Elizabeth, daughter of ...

. The choir sang two anthems during the service; "Faire is the heaven," a setting of

Edmund Spenser Edmund Spenser (; – 13 January 1599 Old Style and New Style dates, O.S.) was an English poet best known for ''The Faerie Queene'', an epic poem and fantastical allegory celebrating the House of Tudor, Tudor dynasty and Elizabeth I. He is re ...

's poem "An Hymne of Heavenly Beautie" by Sir William Henry Harris, and "God Be in My Head," words from the Sarum Primer and music by Sir Walford Davies. The "Dead March" from Act Three of ''

Saul Saul (; , ; , ; ) was a monarch of ancient Israel and Judah and, according to the Hebrew Bible and Old Testament, the first king of the United Monarchy, a polity of uncertain historicity. His reign, traditionally placed in the late eleventh c ...

'' ( HWV 53) by

George Frideric Handel George Frideric (or Frederick) Handel ( ; baptised , ; 23 February 1685 – 14 April 1759) was a German-British Baroque composer well-known for his operas, oratorios, anthems, concerti grossi, and organ concerti. Born in Halle, Germany, H ...

was played on the organ as the coffin was carried out of the abbey.

Guests and participants

The service was attended by 1,800 invited guests. Due to the injuries they sustained in the explosion, Mountbatten's elder daughter and son-in-law, the now 2nd Countess Mountbatten of Burma and

Lord Brabourne Baron Brabourne, of Brabourne in the County of Kent, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1880 for the Liberal politician Edward Knatchbull-Hugessen, the second son of Sir Edward Knatchbull, 9th Baronet, of Mersh ...

, and grandson, Timothy Knatchbull, were absent from the funeral. His younger daughter, Lady Pamela Hicks, and her family led the Mountbatten family, Queen Elizabeth II and the entire British royal family attended, as did numerous members of European royal families. It was the largest gathering of royalty in London since the funeral of King George VI in 1952. Mountbatten, who had been Supreme Allied Commander

South East Asia Command South East Asia Command (SEAC) was the body set up to be in overall charge of Allied operations in the South-East Asian Theatre during the Second World War. History Organisation The initial supreme commander of the theatre was General Sir ...

and oversaw the recapture of Burma and

Singapore Singapore, officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island country and city-state in Southeast Asia. The country's territory comprises one main island, 63 satellite islands and islets, and one outlying islet. It is about one degree ...

from the Japanese in the Second World War, had requested that no representatives from Japan be invited. Notable guests in attendance and participants in the service include:

Mountbatten family

* '' The Countess Mountbatten of Burma's family:'' ** Lord Romsey and Penelope Eastwood, ''Mountbatten's grandson and his fiancée'' ** The Hon. Michael-John Knatchbull, ''Mountbatten's grandson'' ** Lady Joanna Knatchbull, ''Mountbatten's granddaughter'' ** Lady Amanda Knatchbull, ''Mountbatten's granddaughter'' ** The Hon. Philip Knatchbull, ''Mountbatten's grandson'' * Lady Pamela and

, ''Mountbatten's daughter and son-in-law'' ** Edwina Hicks, ''Mountbatten's granddaughter'' **

, ''Mountbatten's grandson'' **

India Hicks India Amanda Caroline Hicks (born 5 September 1967) is a British designer, writer, businesswoman and former fashion model. After graduating from the New England School of Photography, Hicks became an interior designer and a model for Ralph Lau ...

, ''Mountbatten's granddaughter'' * The Marchioness of Milford Haven, ''widow of Mountbatten's nephew'' ** The Marquess of Milford Haven, ''Mountbatten's grandnephew'' **

Lord Ivar Mountbatten Lord Ivar Alexander Michael Mountbatten, DL (born 9 March 1963) is a British aristocrat, farmer, geologist, reality TV personality and businessman. He is a former director of SCL Group, the parent company of Cambridge Analytica. He is the firs ...

, ''Mountbatten's grandnephew'' * Lady Iris Kemp, ''Mountbatten's first cousin once removed''

British royal family

* The Queen and the

, ''Mountbatten's second cousin once removed and Mountbatten's nephew'' **

The Prince of Wales Prince of Wales (, ; ) is a title traditionally given to the male heir apparent to the History of the English monarchy, English, and later, the British throne. The title originated with the Welsh rulers of Kingdom of Gwynedd, Gwynedd who, from ...

, ''Mountbatten's grandnephew'' ** The Princess Anne, Mrs Mark Phillips, and Captain

Mark Phillips Mark Anthony Peter Phillips (born 22 September 1948) is an English Olympic gold medal-winning horseman for Great Britain and the first husband of Anne, Princess Royal, with whom he has two children. He remains a leading figure in British equ ...

, ''Mountbatten's grandniece and her husband'' ** The Prince Andrew, ''Mountbatten's grandnephew'' ** The Prince Edward, ''Mountbatten's grandnephew'' *

Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon (4 August 1900 – 30 March 2002) was Queen of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 to 6 February 1952 as the wife of King George VI. She was al ...

, ''widow of Mountbatten's second cousin'' **

The Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon (Margaret Rose; 21 August 1930 – 9 February 2002) was the younger daughter of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother. She was the younger sister and only sibling of Queen Elizabeth II. M ...

, ''Mountbatten's second cousin once removed'' *

Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester (born Lady Alice Christabel Montagu Douglas Scott; 25 December 1901 – 29 October 2004) was a member of the British royal family. She was the wife of Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester, the third son of King ...

, ''widow of Mountbatten's second cousin'' ** The Duke and

Duchess of Gloucester Duchess of Gloucester is the principal Courtesy titles in the United Kingdom, courtesy title used by the wife of the Duke of Gloucester. There have been five titles referring to Gloucester since the 14th century. The current duchess is Birgitt ...

, ''Mountbatten's second cousin once removed and his wife'' * The Duke and

Duchess of Kent Duchess of Kent is the principal Courtesy titles in the United Kingdom, courtesy title used by the wife of the Duke of Kent. There have been four titles referring to Kent since the 18th century. The current duchess is Katharine, Duchess of Kent ...

, ''Mountbatten's second cousin once removed and his wife'' **

Earl of St Andrews Duke of Kent is a title that has been created several times in the peerages of peerage of Great Britain, Great Britain and the peerage of the United Kingdom, United Kingdom, most recently as a Royal dukedoms in the United Kingdom, royal dukedom ...

, ''Mountbatten's second cousin twice removed'' ** Lady Helen Windsor, ''Mountbatten's second cousin twice removed'' **

Lord Nicholas Windsor Lord Nicholas Charles Edward Jonathan Windsor (born 25 July 1970) is a relative of the British royal family, the youngest child of Prince Edward, Duke of Kent. As a Catholic convert, he has forfeited his right of succession to the throne. Lord ...

, ''Mountbatten's second cousin twice removed'' * Princess Alexandra, The Hon. Mrs Angus Ogilvy, and The Hon.

Angus Ogilvy Sir Angus James Bruce Ogilvy (14 September 1928 – 26 December 2004) was a British businessman. He is best known as the husband of Princess Alexandra of Kent, a first cousin of Queen Elizabeth II. Ogilvy is also remembered for his role in a bu ...

, ''Mountbatten's second cousin once removed and her husband'' **

James Ogilvy James Robert Bruce Ogilvy (born 29 February 1964) is a British landscape designer, and the founder and editor of the magazine '' Luxury Briefing''. He is a member of the extended British royal family as the elder child and only son of Princess ...

, ''Mountbatten's second cousin twice removed'' **

Marina Ogilvy Marina Victoria Alexandra Ogilvy (born 31 July 1966) is the younger child and only daughter of Sir Angus Ogilvy and Princess Alexandra of Kent. Her mother was a first cousin of Queen Elizabeth II, both being granddaughters of King George V. As a ...

, ''Mountbatten's second cousin twice removed'' *

Prince A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. The ...

and

Princess Michael of Kent Princess Michael of Kent (born Baroness Marie-Christine Anna Agnes Hedwig Ida von Reibnitz, 15 January 1945) is a member of the British royal family. She is married to Prince Michael of Kent, who is a grandson of George V, King George V. Prince ...

, ''Mountbatten's second cousin once removed and his wife''

Extended royal family

* The

Earl Earl () is a rank of the nobility in the United Kingdom. In modern Britain, an earl is a member of the Peerages in the United Kingdom, peerage, ranking below a marquess and above a viscount. A feminine form of ''earl'' never developed; instead, ...

and Countess of Harewood, ''Mountbatten's second cousin once removed and his wife'' * The

Duke of Fife Duke of Fife is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom that has been created twice, in both cases for the Earl of Fife. In 1889, Lord Fife married Princess Louise, the eldest daughter of Albert Edward, Prince of Wales (later King Edwa ...

, ''Mountbatten's second cousin once removed'' * Captain

Alexander Ramsay of Mar Alexander Arthur Alfonso David Maule Ramsay of Mar, DL (21 December 1919 – 20 December 2000) was the only child of Princess Patricia of Connaught, who renounced her royal title and style when she married then-Captain the Hon. Alexander Rams ...

and the Lady Saltoun, ''Mountbatten's second cousin and his wife'' * Lady May and Colonel The Hon. Sir Henry Abel Smith, ''Mountbatten's second cousin and her husband'' * Lady Mary Whitley, ''Mountbatten's fourth cousin'' * The

Duchess Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and above sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they a ...

and

Duke of Beaufort Duke of Beaufort ( ) is a title in the Peerage of England. It was created by Charles II in 1682 for Henry Somerset, 3rd Marquess of Worcester, a descendant of Charles Somerset, 1st Earl of Worcester, legitimised son of Henry Beaufort, 3rd D ...

, ''Mountbatten's third cousin once removed and her husband''

Foreign royalty

* The

King of Norway The Norwegian monarch is the head of state of Norway, which is a constitutional and hereditary monarchy with a parliamentary system. The Norwegian monarchy can trace its line back to the reign of Harald Fairhair and the previous petty king ...

, ''Mountbatten's second cousin'' * The

King King is a royal title given to a male monarch. A king is an Absolute monarchy, absolute monarch if he holds unrestricted Government, governmental power or exercises full sovereignty over a nation. Conversely, he is a Constitutional monarchy, ...

and

Queen of Sweden The monarchy of Sweden is centred on the monarchical head of state of Sweden,See the Instrument of Government, Chapter 1, Article 5. by law a constitutional and hereditary monarchy with a parliamentary system.Parliamentary system: see the Ins ...

, ''Mountbatten's step-grandnephew (and second cousin once removed) and his wife'' * The

Grand Duke Grand duke (feminine: grand duchess) is a European hereditary title, used either by certain monarchs or by members of certain monarchs' families. The title is used in some current and former independent monarchies in Europe, particularly: * in ...

and

Grand Duchess of Luxembourg The territory of Luxembourg has been ruled successively by counts, dukes and grand dukes. It was part of the medieval Kingdom of Germany, and later the Holy Roman Empire until it became a sovereign state in 1815. Counts of Luxembourg House of Arde ...

, ''Mountbatten's fourth cousin once removed and Mountbatten's third cousin twice removed'' * The

and Princess of Liechtenstein, ''Mountbatten's third cousin once removed and his wife'' * The

and

Princess of Monaco Princess is a title used by a female member of a regnant monarch's family or by a female ruler of a principality. The male equivalent is a prince (from Latin ''princeps'', meaning principal citizen). Most often, the term has been used for t ...

''Mountbatten's third cousin twice removed and his wife'' * The Prince Consort of the Netherlands, ''husband of Mountbatten's fourth cousin'' (representing wis wife, the

Queen of the Netherlands The monarchy of the Netherlands is governed by the country's charter and constitution, roughly a third of which explains the mechanics of succession, accession, and abdication; the roles and duties of the monarch; the formalities of communica ...

) **

Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands Beatrix (Beatrix Wilhelmina Armgard, ; born 31 January 1938) is a member of the Dutch royal house who reigned as List of monarchs of the Netherlands, Queen of the Netherlands from 30 April 1980 until her abdication in 2013. Beatrix was born ...

, ''Mountbatten's fourth cousin once removed'' * The

Prince of Liège Prince of Liège ( French: Prince de Liège, Dutch: Prins van Luik, German: Prinz von Lüttich) is a substantive title awarded by King Leopold III of the Belgians to his younger son, Prince Albert (the future King Albert II), while he was secon ...

, ''Mountbatten's third cousin twice removed'' (representing his brother, the

King of the Belgians The monarchy of Belgium is the Constitutional monarchy, constitutional and Inheritance, hereditary institution of the monarchical head of state of the Kingdom of Belgium. As a popular monarchy, the Belgian monarch uses the title king/quee ...

) * The

Count of Barcelona The count of Barcelona (, , , ) was the ruler of the County of Barcelona and also, by extension and according with the Usages of Barcelona, Usages and Catalan constitutions, of the Principality of Catalonia as Prince#Prince as generic for ruler, p ...

, ''Mountbatten's first cousin once removed'' (representing his son, the

King of Spain The monarchy of Spain or Spanish monarchy () is the constitutional form of government of Spain. It consists of a Hereditary monarchy, hereditary monarch who reigns as the head of state, being the highest office of the country. The Spanish ...

) *

Prince Georg of Denmark Prince Georg of Denmark (Georg Valdemar Carl Axel; 16 April 1920 – 29 September 1986) was a Danish diplomat and member of the Danish royal family as a great-grandson of Christian IX. He was a first cousin of Harald V of Norway, Baudouin of Bel ...

, ''Mountbatten's fifth cousin'' (representing his cousin, the

Queen of Denmark The monarchy of Denmark is a constitutional institution and a historic office of the Kingdom of Denmark. The Kingdom includes Denmark proper and the autonomous territories of the Faroe Islands and Greenland. The Kingdom of Denmark was alrea ...

) * King Michael I and

Queen Anne of Romania Anne (born Princess Anne Antoinette Françoise Charlotte Zita Marguerite of Bourbon-Parma; 18 September 1923 – 1 August 2016) was the wife of King Michael I of Romania. She married Michael in 1948, the year after he had abdicated the throne. N ...

, ''Mountbatten's second cousin once removed and Mountbatten's fifth cousin'' * Tsar Simeon II of Bulgaria, ''Mountbatten's third cousin once removed'' * King Umberto II of Italy, ''Mountbatten's third cousin twice removed'' *

King Constantine II of Greece Constantine II (, ; 2 June 1940 – 10 January 2023) was the last King of Greece, reigning from 6 March 1964 until the abolition of the Greek monarchy on 1 June 1973. Constantine was born in Athens as the only son of Crown Prince Paul and ...

, ''Mountbatten's second cousin once removed'' *

and Princess George William of Hanover, ''Mountbatten's second cousin once removed and Mountbatten's niece'' * Flag of Hesse

The Princess of Hesse and by Rhine, ''widow of Mountbatten's first cousin'' * Shiite Calligraphy symbolising Ali as Tiger of God

The

Aga Khan Aga Khan (; ; also transliterated as ''Aqa Khan'' and ''Agha Khan'') is a title held by the Imamate in Nizari doctrine, Imām of the Nizari Isma'ilism, Nizari Isma'ilism, Ismāʿīli Shia Islam, Shias. The current holder of the title is the ...

, ''Mountbatten's tenth cousin''

Politicians

* The Rt Hon.

Margaret Thatcher Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher (; 13 October 19258 April 2013), was a British stateswoman who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990 and Leader of the Conservative Party (UK), Leader of th ...

, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, and Mr

Denis Thatcher Sir Denis Thatcher, 1st Baronet, (10 May 1915 – 26 June 2003) was an English businessman and the husband of Margaret Thatcher, who served as the first female British prime minister from 1979 to 1990; thus, he became the first male prime min ...

* The Rt Hon.

James Callaghan Leonard James Callaghan, Baron Callaghan of Cardiff ( ; 27 March 191226 March 2005) was a British statesman and Labour Party (UK), Labour Party politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1976 to 1979 and Leader of the L ...

, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom * The Rt Hon. Sir Harold Wilson, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, and Lady Wilson * The Rt Hon.

Edward Heath Sir Edward Richard George Heath (9 July 1916 – 17 July 2005) was a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1970 to 1974 and Leader of the Conservative Party (UK), Leader of the Conservative Party from 1965 ...

, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom * The Rt Hon. The Lord Home of the Hirsel, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom * The Rt Hon.

Harold Macmillan Maurice Harold Macmillan, 1st Earl of Stockton (10 February 1894 – 29 December 1986), was a British statesman and Conservative Party (UK), Conservative politician who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1957 to 1963. Nickn ...

, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom * Jach Lynch, Taoiseach of Ireland * The Hon.

Averell Harriman William Averell Harriman (November 15, 1891July 26, 1986) was an American politician, businessman, and diplomat. He was a founder of Harriman & Co. which merged with the older Brown Brothers to form the Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. investment ...

, former United States Ambassador to the Court of St James's

Religious figures

* The Most Rev. and Rt Hon.

Donald Coggan Frederick Donald Coggan, Baron Coggan, (9 October 1909 – 17 May 2000) was the 101st Archbishop of Canterbury from 1974 to 1980.

, Archbishop of Canterbury * The Very Rev.

, Dean of Westminster * The Rev. Roger Job, Precentor and Sacrist of Westminster Abbey * The Rt Rev. Prof.

Robin Barbour Robert Alexander Stewart "Robin" Barbour (11 May 1921 – 18 October 2014) was a Church of Scotland minister and an author. Robin Barbour was born on 11 May 1921 in Edinburgh to George Freeland Barbour and Helen Hepburne-Scott. His father ...

, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland * The Most Rev.

Basil Cardinal Hume George Basil Hume (born George Haliburton Hume; 2 March 1923 – 17 June 1999) was an English Catholic prelate who served as Archbishop of Westminster from 1976 until his death in 1999. A member of the Benedictines, he was made a cardinal in ...

, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Westminster * The Ven.

Basil O'Ferrall Basil Arthur O’Ferrall (24 August 1924 – 23 June 2006) was an Anglican priest in the second half of the 20th century. He was born on 24 August 1924 and educated at St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin, St Patrick’s Cathedral Grammar School, Dubl ...

, Chaplain of the Fleet and Archdeacon for the Royal Navy * The Rev. Raymond George, Moderator of the National Free Church Federal Council

Pallbearers

* Admiral of the Fleet Sir Edward Ashmore, former First Sea Lord * General Sir Robert Ford, Adjutant-General to the Forces * Admiral John T. Hayward * Admiral

, Chief of the Naval Staff of the Indian Navy * Lieutenant General Sir John Richards, Commandant General Royal Marines * Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir William Dickson, former Chief of the Defence Staff * Général

, former Chief of Staff of the French Army * Rear Admiral Chit Hlaing, Commander-in-Chief of the Burmese Navy

Other notable guests

Cary Grant Cary Grant (born Archibald Alec Leach; January 18, 1904November 29, 1986) was an English and American actor. Known for his blended British and American accent, debonair demeanor, lighthearted approach to acting, and sense of comic timing, he ...

Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit Vijay Lakshmi Pandit (''née'' Swarup Nehru; 18 August 1900 – 1 December 1990) was an Indian freedom fighter, diplomat and politician. She served as the 8th President of the United Nations General Assembly from 1953 to 1954, the first woman a ...

* General

Albert Coady Wedemeyer Albert Coady Wedemeyer (9 July 1896 – 19 December 1989) was a United States Army general who served in Asia during World War II from October 1943 to the end of the war in 1945. Previously, he was an important member of the War Planning Board ...

Interment and subsequent events

From the abbey, the coffin was taken to

Waterloo Station Waterloo station (), also known as London Waterloo, is a major central London railway terminus on the National Rail network in the United Kingdom, in the Waterloo area of the London Borough of Lambeth. It is connected to a London Undergroun ...

on a

Land Rover 101 Forward Control The 101 Forward Control or Land Rover 101FC was a light utility vehicle produced by Land Rover for the British Army. It was not available to the public off the production line, but was as military surplus. History The vehicle was primarily p ...

of the Life Guards, a regiment of which Mountbatten had been colonel, led by six armoured reconnaissance cars. From Waterloo, his coffin was taken by special train to

Romsey Romsey ( ) is a town in the Test Valley district of Hampshire, England. The town is situated northwest of Southampton, southwest of Winchester and southeast of Salisbury. It sits on the outskirts of the New Forest, just over northeast of ...

Hampshire Hampshire (, ; abbreviated to Hants.) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Berkshire to the north, Surrey and West Sussex to the east, the Isle of Wight across the Solent to the south, ...

, near

, Mountbatten's home. Mountbatten's remains were interred in

. Per his wishes, his tomb was aligned north–south, rather than the conventional east–west, so that it faced the sea where his wife

Edwina The name Edwina is a feminine form of the male name Edwin, which derives from Old English and means "rich friend." Edwin was a popular name until the time of the Norman Conquest, then fell out of favour until Victorian era, Victorian times. People ...

was buried. The following day, 6 September, a private family funeral for Nicholas Knatchbull and Doreen, Lady Brabourne, was held at St John the Baptist Church in

Mersham Mersham () is a mostly agricultural large village and civil parish near Ashford in Kent, England. The population of the civil parish includes the area of Cheesman's Green now known as Finberry. History In the mid 19th century, John Marius Wilso ...

Kent Kent is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Essex across the Thames Estuary to the north, the Strait of Dover to the south-east, East Sussex to the south-west, Surrey to the west, and Gr ...

, near Newhouse, the Knatchbull's family seat. It was attended by 500 guests including the

and the

. This service was conducted by the

Donald Coggan Frederick Donald Coggan, Baron Coggan, (9 October 1909 – 17 May 2000) was the 101st Archbishop of Canterbury from 1974 to 1980.

, assisted by the

Bishop of Maidstone The Bishop of Maidstone is an episcopal title used by a suffragan bishop of the Church of England Diocese of Canterbury, in the Province of Canterbury, England. The title takes its name after the county town of Maidstone in Kent. Canterbury suff ...

Richard Third Richard Henry McPhail Third (29 September 19275 May 2016) was an Anglican bishop in the Church of England. Education Third was educated at Reigate Grammar School, and then Emmanuel College, Cambridge, where he gained a Master of Arts degree, bef ...

. A memorial service for victims of the bombing which killed Mountbatten was held on Thursday, 27 December 1979 at

St Paul's Cathedral St Paul's Cathedral, formally the Cathedral Church of St Paul the Apostle, is an Anglican cathedral in London, England, the seat of the Bishop of London. The cathedral serves as the mother church of the Diocese of London in the Church of Engl ...

. Lady Mountbatten, Lord Brabourne, and Timothy Knatchbull, who were unable to present at the funeral due to their injuries, were present for this service, the former two on crutches.

In popular culture

The events of Mountbatten's assassination and funeral are portrayed in "

Gold Stick The Gold Stick and the Silver Stick are formal bodyguard positions in the British Royal Household, serving as personal attendants to the Monarchy of the United Kingdom, Sovereign on ceremonial occasions. Gold Stick Although now only in evi ...

," the first episode of the fourth series of the

Netflix Netflix is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service. The service primarily distributes original and acquired films and television shows from various genres, and it is available internationally in multiple lang ...

original historical drama series, ''The Crown''.

References

{{State funerals in the United Kingdom, state=collapsed Lord Mountbatten Mountbatten of Burma, Funeral of Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl

Mountbatten The Mountbatten family is a British family that originated as a branch of the German princely Battenberg family. The name was adopted by members of the Battenberg family residing in the United Kingdom on 14 July 1917, three days before the Br ...

1979 in London 1970s in the City of Westminster 1970s in Hampshire September 1979 in the United Kingdom Mountbatten family Westminster Abbey Events involving British royalty Mountbatten of Burma, Funeral of Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl The Troubles (Northern Ireland)