Edwina Mountbatten, Countess Mountbatten of Burma: Difference between revisions
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{{Short description|British aristocrat (1901–1960)}} |
{{Short description|British aristocrat (1901–1960)}} |
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{{EngvarB|date=August 2017}} |
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{{Infobox officeholder |
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| 2namedata1 = [[Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma|The Viscount Mountbatten of Burma]] |
| 2namedata1 = [[Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma|The Viscount Mountbatten of Burma]] |
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| birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1901|11|28}} |
| birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1901|11|28}} |
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| birth_place = London<ref>{{ |
| birth_place = London<ref>{{Cite web |last=Encyclopedia |title=Mountbatten, Edwina Ashley (1901-1960 |url=https://www.encyclopedia.com/women/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/mountbatten-edwina-ashley-1901-1960 |access-date=10 July 2021}}</ref> |
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| death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|1960|2|21|1901|11|28}} |
| death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|1960|2|21|1901|11|28}} |
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| death_place = [[Kota Kinabalu|Jesselton]], [[ |
| death_place = [[Kota Kinabalu|Jesselton]], [[Crown Colony of North Borneo]] |
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| resting_place = Off the coast of [[Portsmouth]] |
| resting_place = Off the coast of [[Portsmouth]] |
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| spouse = {{marriage|[[Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma]]|18 July 1922}} |
| spouse = {{marriage|[[Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma]]|18 July 1922}} |
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'''Edwina Cynthia Annette Mountbatten, Countess Mountbatten of Burma''' |
'''Edwina Cynthia Annette Mountbatten, Countess Mountbatten of Burma''' (''{{nee}}'' '''Ashley'''; 28 November 1901 – 21 February 1960),<ref>GRO Register of Births: MAR 1902 1a 434 ST GEO HAN SQ = London</ref> was an English heiress, socialite, relief worker and the last [[vicereine of India]] as the wife of (the then) [[Admiral of the Fleet (Royal Navy)|Rear Admiral]] [[Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma|The 1st Viscount Mountbatten of Burma]]. |
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==Family background and early life== |
==Family background and early life== |
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[[File:Edwina Mountbatten and her mother.jpg|thumb|left|150px|Mountbatten with her mother circa 1907]] |
[[File:Edwina Mountbatten and her mother.jpg|thumb|left|150px|Mountbatten with her mother circa 1907]] |
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Edwina Cynthia Annette Ashley was born in 1901, the elder daughter of <!-- Not a member of the House of Lords until 1932. -->[[Wilfrid Ashley, 1st Baron Mount Temple|Wilfrid Ashley]] (later 1st Baron Mount Temple), who was a [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]] member of Parliament.<ref>Janet Morgan, ''Edwina Mountbatten: A Life of Her Own'' (1991).</ref> Her younger sister was <!-- Only gained the title on her marriage to Thomas Cholmondeley, 4th Baron Delamere in 1944. -->[[Mary Cholmondeley, Lady Delamere|Mary Ashley]] (Lady Delamere). Patrilineally, she was a great-granddaughter of the reformist [[Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 7th Earl of Shaftesbury|7th Earl of Shaftesbury]]. |
Edwina Cynthia Annette Ashley was born in 1901, the elder daughter of <!-- Not a member of the House of Lords until 1932. -->[[Wilfrid Ashley, 1st Baron Mount Temple|Wilfrid Ashley]] (later 1st Baron Mount Temple), who was a [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]] member of Parliament.<ref>Janet Morgan, ''Edwina Mountbatten: A Life of Her Own'' (1991).</ref> Her younger sister was <!-- Only gained the title on her marriage to Thomas Cholmondeley, 4th Baron Delamere in 1944. -->[[Mary Cholmondeley, Lady Delamere|Mary Ashley]] (Lady Delamere). Patrilineally, she was a great-granddaughter of the reformist [[Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 7th Earl of Shaftesbury|7th Earl of Shaftesbury]]. Edwina's mother, Amalia Mary Maud Cassel (1879–1911), was the only child of the international magnate [[Sir]] [[Ernest Cassel]] (1852–1921), friend and private financier to the future [[King Edward VII]]. Cassel had been born in Cologne, Prussia, of Jewish origin. He was one of the richest and most powerful men in Europe. |
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After Wilfred Ashley's remarriage in 1914 to [[Molly Forbes-Sempill]] (ex-wife of Rear-Admiral [[Arthur Forbes-Sempill]]), Edwina Ashley was sent away to [[boarding schools]], first to the Links in Eastbourne, then to Alde House in Suffolk, at neither of which was she a willing pupil. Edwina was unhappy during the time because, in addition to a sour relationship with her stepmother, she was bullied at school on account of her grandfather being rich, German, and Jewish. She later described her experience at school as 'sheer hell'.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Tunzelmann|first=Alex von|title=Indian Summer|publisher=Simon & Schuster|year=2007|isbn=9781471166440|location=India|pages=60}}</ref> Her grandfather, Sir Ernest, solved the domestic dilemma by inviting her to live with him and, eventually, to act as hostess at his London residence, [[Brook House (Park Lane)|Brook House]]. Later, his other mansions, [[Moulton Paddocks]] and Branksome Dene,<!---spelling is correct as Dene----> would become part of her |
After Wilfred Ashley's remarriage in 1914 to [[Molly Forbes-Sempill]] (ex-wife of Rear-Admiral [[Arthur Forbes-Sempill]]), Edwina Ashley was sent away to [[boarding schools]], first to the Links in Eastbourne, then to Alde House in Suffolk, at neither of which was she a willing pupil. Edwina was unhappy during the time because, in addition to a sour relationship with her stepmother, she was bullied at school on account of her grandfather being rich, German, and Jewish. She later described her experience at school as 'sheer hell'.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Tunzelmann |first=Alex von |title=Indian Summer |publisher=Simon & Schuster |year=2007 |isbn=9781471166440 |location=India |pages=60}}</ref> Her grandfather, Sir Ernest, solved the domestic dilemma by inviting her to live with him and, eventually, to act as hostess at his London residence, [[Brook House (Park Lane)|Brook House]]. Later, his other mansions, [[Moulton Paddocks]] and Branksome Dene,<!---spelling is correct as Dene----> would become part of her inheritance from him.{{Citation needed|date = April 2021}} |
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==Marriage and children== |
==Marriage and children== |
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[[File:Louis and Edwina Mountbatten 02.jpg|thumb|upright|left|Louis and Edwina Mountbatten early in marriage]] |
[[File:Louis and Edwina Mountbatten 02.jpg|thumb|upright|left|Louis and Edwina Mountbatten early in marriage]] |
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By the time she first met Louis Mountbatten, a relative of the [[British royal family]] and a nephew of [[Empress Alexandra of Russia]], in 1920, Edwina Ashley was a leading member of London society. Her maternal grandfather died in 1921, leaving her £2 million (equivalent to £{{formatnum:{{Inflation|UK|2|1921|r=1}}}} million in {{Inflation-year|UK}}{{Inflation-fn|UK|df=y}}), and his palatial London townhouse, [[Brook House (Park Lane)|Brook House]], at a time when her future husband's naval salary was £610 a year (equivalent to £{{formatnum:{{Inflation|UK|610|1921|r=0}}}} in {{Inflation-year|UK}}{{Inflation-fn|UK|df=y}}). Later, she inherited the country seat of [[Broadlands]], Hampshire, from her father, Lord Mount Temple. |
By the time she first met Louis Mountbatten, a relative of the [[British royal family]] and a nephew of [[Empress Alexandra of Russia]], in 1920, Edwina Ashley was a leading member of London society. Her maternal grandfather died in 1921, leaving her £2 million (equivalent to £{{formatnum:{{Inflation|UK|2|1921|r=1}}}} million in {{Inflation-year|UK}}{{Inflation-fn|UK|df=y}}), and his palatial London townhouse, [[Brook House (Park Lane)|Brook House]], at a time when her future husband's naval salary was £610 a year (equivalent to £{{formatnum:{{Inflation|UK|610|1921|r=0}}}} in {{Inflation-year|UK}}{{Inflation-fn|UK|df=y}}). Later, she inherited the country seat of [[Broadlands]], Hampshire, from her father, Lord Mount Temple. |
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[[File:Lady Louis Mountbatten.jpg|thumb|Edwina Ashley in her wedding dress, 1923, by [[Philip de László]]]] |
[[File:Lady Louis Mountbatten.jpg|thumb|Edwina Ashley in her wedding dress, 1923, by [[Philip de László]]]] |
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⚫ | Ashley and Mountbatten married on 18 July 1922 at [[St Margaret's, Westminster]]. The wedding attracted more than 8,000 people, including members of the royal family such as [[Mary of Teck|Queen Mary]], [[Queen Alexandra]], and the Prince of Wales (the future [[King Edward VIII]]). It was dubbed "wedding of the year".<ref>Von Tunzelmann, p. 71.</ref> There followed a honeymoon tour of European royal courts and America which included a visit to [[Niagara Falls]] (because "all honeymooners went there").<ref name="life1942081763">{{Cite magazine |date=17 August 1942 |title=Lord Louis Mountbatten |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=v04EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA63 |access-date=20 September 2012 |magazine=Life |page=63 |via=[[Google Books]]}}</ref> During their honeymoon in California, the newlyweds starred in a silent home movie by [[Charlie Chaplin]] called ''Nice And Friendly'', which was not shown in cinemas.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Nice and Friendly |url=https://www.charliechaplin.com/en/films/9-Limelight/articles/300-Nice-and-Friendly |access-date=5 August 2022 |website=Charlie Chaplin Official Website}}</ref> |
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⚫ | Ashley and Mountbatten married on 18 July 1922 at [[St Margaret's, Westminster]]. The wedding attracted more than 8,000 people, including members of the royal family such as [[Mary of Teck|Queen Mary]], [[Queen Alexandra]], and the Prince of Wales (the future [[King Edward VIII]]). It was dubbed "wedding of the year".<ref>Von Tunzelmann, p. 71.</ref> There followed a honeymoon tour of European royal courts and America which included a visit to [[Niagara Falls]] (because "all honeymooners went there").<ref name="life1942081763">{{ |
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The Mountbattens had two daughters, [[Patricia Knatchbull, 2nd Countess Mountbatten of Burma|Patricia]] (14 February 1924 – 13 June 2017) and [[Lady Pamela Hicks|Pamela]] (born 19 April 1929).<ref>Von Tunzelmann, p. 73.</ref> |
The Mountbattens had two daughters, [[Patricia Knatchbull, 2nd Countess Mountbatten of Burma|Patricia]] (14 February 1924 – 13 June 2017) and [[Lady Pamela Hicks|Pamela]] (born 19 April 1929).<ref>Von Tunzelmann, p. 73.</ref> |
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[[Drew Pearson (journalist)|Drew Pearson]] described Edwina in 1944 as "one of the most beautiful women in England".<ref name="PEARSON-TRACTOR-STPETETMS">{{Cite news |last=Pearson |first=Drew |date=16 September 1944 |title=Ford May Convert Willow Run into Huge Tractor Plant |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=888&dat=19440916&id=qpExAAAAIBAJ&pg=6922,2014592 |access-date=19 May 2013 |work=St. Peterburg Times}}</ref> |
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<!---[[File:Lady Louis Mountbatten1924.jpg|thumb|left|upright|Portrait by [[Philip de László]], 1924]]---> |
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[[Drew Pearson (journalist)|Drew Pearson]] described Edwina in 1944 as "one of the most beautiful women in England".<ref name=PEARSON-TRACTOR-STPETETMS>{{cite news|last=Pearson|first=Drew|title=Ford May Convert Willow Run into Huge Tractor Plant|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=888&dat=19440916&id=qpExAAAAIBAJ&pg=6922,2014592|access-date=19 May 2013|newspaper=St. Peterburg Times|date=16 September 1944}}</ref> She was known to have affairs throughout the marriage, doing little to hide them from her husband. He became aware of her lovers, accepted them and even developed friendships with some of them – making them "part of the family". Her daughter [[Pamela Hicks]] wrote a memoir in which she describes her mother as "a man eater" and her mother's many lovers as a succession of "uncles" throughout her childhood.<ref>[[Pamela Hicks]], ''Daughter of Empire: My Life as a Mountbatten'' - Weidenfeld & Nicolson, London, 2012</ref>{{page needed|date=June 2019}} In her memoir Pamela describes Edwina as a detached, rarely seen mother who preferred travelling the world with her current lover to mothering her children.<ref>{{cite book|title=Daughter of Empire: My Life as a Mountbatten|author=Lady Pamela Hicks|isbn=978-0297864820|year=2013|publisher=Simon & Schuster}}</ref>{{page needed|date=April 2021}} |
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Edwina and her sister-in-law, the [[Nadejda Mountbatten, Marchioness of Milford Haven|Marchioness of Milford Haven]] (wife of [[George Mountbatten, 2nd Marquess of Milford Haven|Lord Milford Haven]]), were extremely close friends and the two frequently went together on rather daring adventures, travelling rough in difficult and often dangerous parts of the world.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Hough |first=Richard |title=Edwina Countess Mountbatten of Burma |publisher=William Morrow and Company, Inc. |year=1984 |isbn=0-688-03766-6 |location=New York}}</ref> |
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Edwina's affair with [[Jawaharlal Nehru]], prime minister of India, both during and after their post-war service has been widely documented.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/2010/20100410/saturday/main1.htm|title=A daughter's insight The Nehru-Edwina romance|last=Bhatia|first=Shyam|date=10 April 2010|work=[[The Tribune (Chandigarh)|The Tribune]]|access-date=15 June 2019}}</ref> She also reportedly had an affair with the Grenadian jazz singer [[Leslie Hutchinson]].<ref>[[David Olusoga]], ''[[Black and British: A Forgotten History]]'' (2016), BBC.</ref> |
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==Second World War== |
==Second World War== |
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After the outbreak of the [[Second World War]], Mountbatten visited the United States, where she expressed gratitude for efforts to raise funds for the [[British Red Cross]] and [[St John Ambulance Brigade]]. In 1942, she was appointed Superintendent-in-Chief of the St John Ambulance Brigade, serving extensively. In 1945, she assisted in the repatriation of prisoners of war in South East Asia. She was appointed a [[Order of the British Empire|CBE]] in 1943 and made a [[Dame Commander of the Royal Victorian Order]] (DCVO) in 1946. She also received the [[American Red Cross Medal]].<ref>[http://mountbattenofburma.com/page59.html Edwina, Countess Mountbatten of Burma]</ref> |
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==Vicereine of India== |
==Vicereine of India== |
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[[File:NehruEd.jpg|thumb|right|Prime Minister Nehru with Lady Mountbatten in 1951]] |
[[File:NehruEd.jpg|thumb|right|Prime Minister Nehru with Lady Mountbatten in 1951]] |
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Edwina Mountbatten was the last [[vicereine of India]], serving during the final months of the [[British Raj]] and the first months of the post-Partition period (February 1947 to June 1948) when Louis Mountbatten was the last [[viceroy of India]] and then, after the partition of India and Pakistan in June 1947, the [[governor-general of India]], but not of the [[Dominion of Pakistan]]. |
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Edwina Mountbatten was the last [[vicereine of India]], serving during the final months of the [[British Raj]] and the first months of the post-Partition period (February 1947 to June 1948) when Louis Mountbatten was the last [[viceroy of India]] and then, after the partition of India and Pakistan in June 1947, the [[governor-general of India]], but not of the [[Dominion of Pakistan]]. It was at this time that a serious relationship between Edwina Mountbatten and Nehru, the new [[prime minister of India]], began. Whether the romance was ever consummated is not known; however, their mutual fondness was evident and caused widespread speculation.<ref>{{cite book| title=Raj: the Making and Unmaking of British India | author-link =Lawrence James|first = Lawrence|last=James | publisher=Saint Martin's Griffin | year=1997| page=611}}</ref><ref>See [[Alex von Tunzelmann]]. ''[[Indian Summer: The Secret History of the End of an Empire]]''. New York: Henry Holt and Co., 2007.</ref> In 2012, Edwina's daughter, [[Lady Pamela Hicks]], accepted that there was a romance between her mother and Jawaharlal Nehru, which she mentioned in the book ''Daughter of Empire: Life As A Mountbatten''.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://m.aajtak.in/general-knowledge-in-hindi/history-general-knowledge-in-hindi/story/pamela-says-on-jawaharlal-nehru-and-edwina-mountbatten-relationship-943978-2017-07-30 |title=मां से प्यार करते थे नेहरू, शारीरिक संबंध नहीं थे: माउंटबेटन की बेटी |language=hi}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url = http://www.hindu.com/2007/07/18/stories/2007071862131300.htm |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070911163209/http://www.hindu.com/2007/07/18/stories/2007071862131300.htm |url-status = dead |archive-date = 11 September 2007 |work = [[The Hindu]] |title = Pamela Mountbatten on the Jawaharlal-Edwina relationship |date = 18 July 2007}}</ref> British historian [[Philip Ziegler]], with access to the private letters and diaries, concludes the relationship: |
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:was to endure until Edwina Mountbatten's death: intensely loving, romantic, trusting, generous, idealistic, even spiritual. If there was any physical element it can only have been of minor importance to either party. Mountbatten's reaction was one of pleasure....He liked and admired Nehru, it was useful to him that the Prime Minister should find such attractions in the Governor-General's home, it was agreeable to find Edwina almost permanently in good temper: the advantages of the alliance were obvious.<ref>Philip Ziegler, ''Mountbatten'' (1985) p. 473.</ref> |
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[[File:Lady Mountbatten at Police Hospital, Delhi.jpg|thumb| |
[[File:Lady Mountbatten at Police Hospital, Delhi.jpg|thumb|right|Lady Mountbatten at Police Hospital, [[Delhi]], 1947]] |
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From 28 October 1947 onwards, Edwina Mountbatten was styled as the Countess Mountbatten of Burma, after her husband was elevated to an [[Earl Mountbatten of Burma|earldom]]. Following the violent disruption that accompanied the [[partition of India]], Lady Mountbatten's priority was to mobilise the enormous relief efforts required, work for which she was widely praised. |
From 28 October 1947 onwards, Edwina Mountbatten was styled as the Countess Mountbatten of Burma, after her husband was elevated to an [[Earl Mountbatten of Burma|earldom]]. Following the violent disruption that accompanied the [[partition of India]], Lady Mountbatten's priority was to mobilise the enormous relief efforts required, work for which she was widely praised. |
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Edwina had publicly supported the military operations by Nehru administration for gaining control over [[Instrument of Accession (Jammu and Kashmir)|Jammu and Kashmir]] and [[Operation Polo|Hyderabad state]].<ref name="i813">{{cite book | last=Ahmed | first=A. | title=Jinnah, Pakistan and Islamic Identity: The Search for Saladin | publisher=Taylor & Francis | year=2005 | isbn=978-1-134-75022-1 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RqyniTHXFxUC&pg=PA144 | access-date=2024-05-28 | page=144}}</ref> After her viceroyalty in India, her public service included service for the [[St John Ambulance Brigade]]. She was a governor of [[The Peckham Experiment]] in 1949.<ref>{{Cite journal |date=September 1949 |title=The Bulletin of the Pioneer Centre |url=http://www.sochealth.co.uk/1949/09/21/peckham/ |journal=Peckham |volume=1 |issue=5 |access-date=21 October 2016}}</ref> |
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==Death== |
==Death== |
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Lady Mountbatten died in her sleep aged 58 of unknown causes on 21 February 1960 in [[Kota Kinabalu|Jesselton]] (now Kota Kinabalu), [[North Borneo]] (now [[Sabah]]), while on an inspection tour for the [[St John Ambulance Brigade]].<ref name=smh21feb>{{ |
Lady Mountbatten died in her sleep aged 58 of unknown causes on 21 February 1960 in [[Kota Kinabalu|Jesselton]] (now Kota Kinabalu), [[Crown Colony of North Borneo|North Borneo]] (now [[Sabah]]), while on an inspection tour for the [[St John Ambulance Brigade]].<ref name="smh21feb">{{Cite news |date=21 February 1960 |title=Lady Mountbatten dies in sleep on visit to Borneo |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1301&dat=19600222&id=pbcyAAAAIBAJ&pg=4298,2221738 |access-date=14 June 2013 |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |location=London |agency=Australian Associated Press}}</ref> In accordance with her wishes, she was buried at sea off the coast of [[Portsmouth]] from [[HMS Wakeful (1943)|HMS ''Wakeful'']] on 25 February 1960; [[Geoffrey Fisher]], [[Archbishop of Canterbury]], officiated.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Her Grave The Sea 1960 |url=http://www.britishpathe.com/video/her-grave-the-sea |publisher=British Pathe}}</ref> |
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On learning of the news, [[Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother]] observed, "Dear Edwina, she always liked to make a splash."<ref>As quoted in ''The Straits Times'' [Singapore] (7 August 2000).</ref> Indian prime minister [[Jawaharlal Nehru]] had the [[Indian Navy]] frigate [[INS Trishul (F143)|INS ''Trishul'']] escort the ''Wakeful'' and cast a wreath.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/1091101/jsp/opinion/story_11665506.jsp|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091105042032/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1091101/jsp/opinion/story_11665506.jsp |
On learning of the news, [[Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother]] observed, "Dear Edwina, she always liked to make a splash."<ref>As quoted in ''The Straits Times'' [Singapore] (7 August 2000).</ref> Indian prime minister [[Jawaharlal Nehru]] had the [[Indian Navy]] frigate [[INS Trishul (F143)|INS ''Trishul'']], already stationed in the city, to escort the ''Wakeful'' and cast a wreath.<ref>{{Cite web |title=A TASTE OF OTHER SUMMERS - Love may not be the only theme of the Nehru-Edwina letters |url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/1091101/jsp/opinion/story_11665506.jsp |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091105042032/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1091101/jsp/opinion/story_11665506.jsp |archive-date=5 November 2009}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Morgan |first=Janet |author-link=Janet Morgan, Lady Balfour of Burleigh |title=Edwina Mountbatten - A Life of Her Own |publisher=Fontana |year=1992 |isbn=0006377874 |location=London |page=481 |chapter=Leave-taking}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Hough |first=Richard |author-link=Richard Hough |title=Edwina - Countess Mountbatten of Burma |publisher=Weidenfeld and Nicolson |year=1983 |isbn=0297782843 |location=London |page=[https://archive.org/details/edwina00rich/page/217 217] |chapter='Love and Serve' |chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/edwina00rich/page/217}}</ref> Her will was proven in London on 21 March 1960, with her estate valued for probate at £589,655 (equivalent to £{{formatnum:{{inflation|UK|589655|1960|r=-2}}}} as of {{CURRENTYEAR}}).<ref name="probate">{{Cite web |last=<!--Not stated--> |date=1960 |title=Countess Mountbatten of Burma, The Right Honourable Edwina Cynthia Annette C.I. G. B. E. D. C. V. O. |url=https://probatesearch.service.gov.uk/Calendar?surname=Mountbatten&yearOfDeath=1960&page=1#calendar |access-date=1 March 2020 |website=probatesearchservice.gov |publisher=UK Government}}</ref> |
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==Titles and honours== |
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=== Titles === |
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* 23 August 1946 – 21 February 1947: ''The Right Honourable'' The Viscountess Mountbatten of Burma<ref>{{London Gazette |
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| issue = 37702 |
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| date = 27 August 1946 |
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| page = 4305 |
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}} |
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Note: The female version of Viscount, (the title given to her husband), was Viscountess.</ref> |
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* 21 February 1947 – 28 October 1947: ''Her Excellency'' ''The Right Honourable'' The Viscountess Mountbatten of Burma<ref name="Viceroy2">{{London Gazette |
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| issue = 37916 |
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| date = 25 March 1947 |
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| page = 1399 |
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}} |
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Note: A viceregal consort, (her husband was a Viceroy, and the wife of a viceroy was a viceregal consort) held the style of Her Excellency.</ref> |
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* 28 October 1947 – 21 June 1948: ''Her Excellency'' ''The Right Honourable'' The Countess Mountbatten of Burma<ref>{{London Gazette |
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| issue = 38109 |
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| date = 28 October 1947 |
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| page = 5074 |
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}} |
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Note: The female version of Earl, (the title given to her husband), was Countess.</ref> |
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* 21 June 1948 – 21 February 1960: ''The Right Honourable'' The Countess Mountbatten of Burma<ref>Note: The female version of Earl, (the title given to her husband), was Countess.</ref> |
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==Honours== |
=== Honours === |
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* Dame Commander of the [[Royal Victorian Order]] (DCVO) – 1 January 1946<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/37407/pages/12 |
* [[File:Royal Victorian Order UK ribbon.png|frameless|47x47px]] Dame Commander of the [[Royal Victorian Order]] (DCVO) – 1 January 1946<ref>{{Cite web |title=The London Gazette, 1 January 1946 |url=http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/37407/pages/12}}</ref> |
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* Dame Grand Cross of the [[Order of Saint John (chartered 1888)|Venerable Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem]] (GCStJ: 1 January 1946;<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=37417|page=203|date=1 January 1946}}</ref> CStJ: 19 December 1928<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=33453|page=49|date=19 December 1928}}</ref>) |
* [[File:Order of St John (UK) ribbon.png|frameless|47x47px]] Dame Grand Cross of the [[Order of Saint John (chartered 1888)|Venerable Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem]] (GCStJ: 1 January 1946;<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=37417|page=203|date=1 January 1946}}</ref> CStJ: 19 December 1928<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=33453|page=49|date=19 December 1928}}</ref>) |
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* Lady of the Imperial [[Order of the Crown of India]] (CI) -21 February 1947 |
* [[File:UK Order of the Crown of India ribbon.svg|frameless|47x47px]] Lady of the Imperial [[Order of the Crown of India]] (CI) -21 February 1947 |
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* Dame Grand Cross of the [[Order of the British Empire]] (GBE: 1 January 1948;<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=38161|supp=25|date=1 January 1948}}</ref> CBE: 1 January 1943<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/35841/pages/16 |
* [[File:Order of the British Empire (Civil) Ribbon.svg|frameless|47x47px]] Dame Grand Cross of the [[Order of the British Empire]] (GBE: 1 January 1948;<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=38161|supp=25|date=1 January 1948}}</ref> CBE: 1 January 1943<ref>{{Cite web |title=The London Gazette, 1 January 1943 |url=http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/35841/pages/16}}</ref>) |
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* [[Service Medal of the Order of St John]] |
* [[File:Service Medal of the Order of St John Ribbon.svg|frameless|47x47px]] [[Service Medal of the Order of St John]] |
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* [[File:UK King George V Silver Jubilee Medal ribbon.svg|frameless|47x47px]] [[King George V Silver Jubilee Medal]]<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Louis Mountbatten, Earl Mountbatten of Burma; Edwina Cynthia Annette (née Ashley), Countess Mountbatten of Burma - National Portrait Gallery |url=https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/portrait/mw14075/Louis-Mountbatten-Earl-Mountbatten-of-Burma-Edwina-Cynthia-Annette-ne-Ashley-Countess-Mountbatten-of-Burma |access-date=2024-02-11 |website=www.npg.org.uk |language=en}}</ref> |
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* [[File:UK King George VI Coronation Medal ribbon.svg|frameless|47x47px]] [[King George VI Coronation Medal]]<ref name=":0" /> |
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* [[File:UK Queen EII Coronation Medal ribbon.svg|frameless|47x47px]] [[Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal]]<ref>{{Cite web |last=John |first=Museum of the Order of St |date=2017-04-12 |title=Edwina Mountbatten; Before Viceroy's House |url=https://museumstjohn.org.uk/edwina-mountbatten-viceroys-house/ |access-date=2024-02-11 |website=Museum of the Order of St John |language=en-GB}}</ref> |
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==In popular culture== |
==In popular culture== |
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Lady Mountbatten of Burma has been portrayed by: |
Lady Mountbatten of Burma has been portrayed by: |
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* [[Janet Suzman]] in the 1986 television |
* [[Janet Suzman]] in the 1986 television drama ''[[Lord Mountbatten: The Last Viceroy]]'' |
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* [[Maria Aitken]] in the 1998 biographical film ''[[Jinnah (film)|Jinnah]]''<ref>{{ |
* [[Maria Aitken]] in the 1998 biographical film ''[[Jinnah (film)|Jinnah]]''<ref>{{IMDb title|qid=Q3234769|title=Jinnah (1998)}}</ref> |
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* [[Gillian Anderson]] in [[Gurinder Chadha]]'s |
* [[Gillian Anderson]] in [[Gurinder Chadha]]'s drama film ''[[Viceroy's House (film)|Viceroy's House]]'' (2017)<ref>{{Cite news |last=Wiseman |first=Andreas |date=30 April 2015 |title=Hugh Bonneville, Gillian Anderson topline partition drama 'Viceroy's House' |url=http://www.screendaily.com/news/bonneville-anderson-topline-partition-drama-viceroys-house/5087176.article |access-date=19 February 2016 |work=Screen Daily}}</ref> |
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* [[Lucy Russell (actress)|Lucy Russell]] in series 2 of ''[[The Crown (TV series)|The Crown]]'' (2017)<ref>{{Citation|title="The Crown" Misadventure (TV Episode 2017)|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6366744/fullcredits|access-date=2017-12-11}}</ref> |
* [[Lucy Russell (actress)|Lucy Russell]] in series 2 of ''[[The Crown (TV series)|The Crown]]'' (2017)<ref>{{Citation |title="The Crown" Misadventure (TV Episode 2017) |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6366744/fullcredits |access-date=2017-12-11}}</ref> |
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==References== |
==References== |
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===Notes=== |
===Notes=== |
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*{{ |
*{{Cite book |last=Alex von Tunzelmann |author-link=Alex von Tunzelmann |title=Indian Summer The Secret History of the End of an Empire |publisher=Pocket Books}} |
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==Further reading== |
==Further reading== |
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{{Commons category|Edwina Mountbatten, Countess Mountbatten of Burma|Edwina Mountbatten}} |
{{Commons category|Edwina Mountbatten, Countess Mountbatten of Burma|Edwina Mountbatten}} |
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*[https://www.lordmountbattenofburma.com Tribute & Memorial Website to Louis, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma] |
*[https://www.lordmountbattenofburma.com Tribute & Memorial Website to Louis, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma] |
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* {{NPG name|name=Edwina, Countess Mountbatten of Burma}} |
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* {{PM20|FID=pe/012555}} |
* {{PM20|FID=pe/012555}} |
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[[Category:1901 births]] |
[[Category:1901 births]] |
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[[Category:1960 deaths]] |
[[Category:1960 deaths]] |
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[[Category:20th-century British people]] |
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[[Category:20th-century English women]] |
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[[Category:British debutantes]] |
[[Category:British debutantes]] |
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[[Category:British countesses]] |
[[Category:British countesses]] |
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[[Category:Dames Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire]] |
[[Category:Dames Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire]] |
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[[Category:Dames Grand Cross of the Order of St John]] |
[[Category:Dames Grand Cross of the Order of St John]] |
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[[Category:Daughters of barons]] |
[[Category:Daughters of barons]] |
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[[Category:Mountbatten family|Edwina]] |
[[Category:Mountbatten family|Edwina]] |
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[[Category:Viceregal consorts of India]] |
[[Category:Viceregal consorts of India]] |
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[[Category:Wives of knights]] |
[[Category:Wives of knights]] |
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[[Category:British women in World War II]] |
Revision as of 03:05, 14 July 2024
A request that this article title be changed to Lady Mountbatten is under discussion. Please do not move this article until the discussion is closed. |
The Countess Mountbatten of Burma | |
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Mountbatten in the uniform of the St John Ambulance Brigade | |
Viceregal-Consort of India | |
In office 21 February 1947 – 21 June 1948 | |
Monarch | George VI |
Governor- General | The Viscount Mountbatten of Burma |
Personal details | |
Born | Edwina Cynthia Annette Ashley 28 November 1901 London[1] |
Died | 21 February 1960 Jesselton, Crown Colony of North Borneo | (aged 58)
Resting place | Off the coast of Portsmouth |
Spouse | |
Children | |
Parents |
|
Edwina Cynthia Annette Mountbatten, Countess Mountbatten of Burma (née Ashley; 28 November 1901 – 21 February 1960),[2] was an English heiress, socialite, relief worker and the last vicereine of India as the wife of (the then) Rear Admiral The 1st Viscount Mountbatten of Burma.
Family background and early life
Edwina Cynthia Annette Ashley was born in 1901, the elder daughter of Wilfrid Ashley (later 1st Baron Mount Temple), who was a Conservative member of Parliament.[3] Her younger sister was Mary Ashley (Lady Delamere). Patrilineally, she was a great-granddaughter of the reformist 7th Earl of Shaftesbury. Edwina's mother, Amalia Mary Maud Cassel (1879–1911), was the only child of the international magnate Sir Ernest Cassel (1852–1921), friend and private financier to the future King Edward VII. Cassel had been born in Cologne, Prussia, of Jewish origin. He was one of the richest and most powerful men in Europe.
After Wilfred Ashley's remarriage in 1914 to Molly Forbes-Sempill (ex-wife of Rear-Admiral Arthur Forbes-Sempill), Edwina Ashley was sent away to boarding schools, first to the Links in Eastbourne, then to Alde House in Suffolk, at neither of which was she a willing pupil. Edwina was unhappy during the time because, in addition to a sour relationship with her stepmother, she was bullied at school on account of her grandfather being rich, German, and Jewish. She later described her experience at school as 'sheer hell'.[4] Her grandfather, Sir Ernest, solved the domestic dilemma by inviting her to live with him and, eventually, to act as hostess at his London residence, Brook House. Later, his other mansions, Moulton Paddocks and Branksome Dene, would become part of her inheritance from him.[citation needed]
Marriage and children
By the time she first met Louis Mountbatten, a relative of the British royal family and a nephew of Empress Alexandra of Russia, in 1920, Edwina Ashley was a leading member of London society. Her maternal grandfather died in 1921, leaving her £2 million (equivalent to £112.1 million in 2023[5]), and his palatial London townhouse, Brook House, at a time when her future husband's naval salary was £610 a year (equivalent to £34,183 in 2023[5]). Later, she inherited the country seat of Broadlands, Hampshire, from her father, Lord Mount Temple.
Ashley and Mountbatten married on 18 July 1922 at St Margaret's, Westminster. The wedding attracted more than 8,000 people, including members of the royal family such as Queen Mary, Queen Alexandra, and the Prince of Wales (the future King Edward VIII). It was dubbed "wedding of the year".[6] There followed a honeymoon tour of European royal courts and America which included a visit to Niagara Falls (because "all honeymooners went there").[7] During their honeymoon in California, the newlyweds starred in a silent home movie by Charlie Chaplin called Nice And Friendly, which was not shown in cinemas.[8]
The Mountbattens had two daughters, Patricia (14 February 1924 – 13 June 2017) and Pamela (born 19 April 1929).[9] Drew Pearson described Edwina in 1944 as "one of the most beautiful women in England".[10]
Edwina and her sister-in-law, the Marchioness of Milford Haven (wife of Lord Milford Haven), were extremely close friends and the two frequently went together on rather daring adventures, travelling rough in difficult and often dangerous parts of the world.[11]
Second World War
After the outbreak of the Second World War, Mountbatten visited the United States, where she expressed gratitude for efforts to raise funds for the British Red Cross and St John Ambulance Brigade. In 1942, she was appointed Superintendent-in-Chief of the St John Ambulance Brigade, serving extensively. In 1945, she assisted in the repatriation of prisoners of war in South East Asia. She was appointed a CBE in 1943 and made a Dame Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (DCVO) in 1946. She also received the American Red Cross Medal.[12]
Vicereine of India
Edwina Mountbatten was the last vicereine of India, serving during the final months of the British Raj and the first months of the post-Partition period (February 1947 to June 1948) when Louis Mountbatten was the last viceroy of India and then, after the partition of India and Pakistan in June 1947, the governor-general of India, but not of the Dominion of Pakistan.
From 28 October 1947 onwards, Edwina Mountbatten was styled as the Countess Mountbatten of Burma, after her husband was elevated to an earldom. Following the violent disruption that accompanied the partition of India, Lady Mountbatten's priority was to mobilise the enormous relief efforts required, work for which she was widely praised.
Edwina had publicly supported the military operations by Nehru administration for gaining control over Jammu and Kashmir and Hyderabad state.[13] After her viceroyalty in India, her public service included service for the St John Ambulance Brigade. She was a governor of The Peckham Experiment in 1949.[14]
Death
Lady Mountbatten died in her sleep aged 58 of unknown causes on 21 February 1960 in Jesselton (now Kota Kinabalu), North Borneo (now Sabah), while on an inspection tour for the St John Ambulance Brigade.[15] In accordance with her wishes, she was buried at sea off the coast of Portsmouth from HMS Wakeful on 25 February 1960; Geoffrey Fisher, Archbishop of Canterbury, officiated.[16] On learning of the news, Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother observed, "Dear Edwina, she always liked to make a splash."[17] Indian prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru had the Indian Navy frigate INS Trishul, already stationed in the city, to escort the Wakeful and cast a wreath.[18][19][20] Her will was proven in London on 21 March 1960, with her estate valued for probate at £589,655 (equivalent to £17,150,600 as of 2024).[21]
Titles and honours
Titles
- 23 August 1946 – 21 February 1947: The Right Honourable The Viscountess Mountbatten of Burma[22]
- 21 February 1947 – 28 October 1947: Her Excellency The Right Honourable The Viscountess Mountbatten of Burma[23]
- 28 October 1947 – 21 June 1948: Her Excellency The Right Honourable The Countess Mountbatten of Burma[24]
- 21 June 1948 – 21 February 1960: The Right Honourable The Countess Mountbatten of Burma[25]
Honours
Dame Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (DCVO) – 1 January 1946[26]
Dame Grand Cross of the Venerable Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem (GCStJ: 1 January 1946;[27] CStJ: 19 December 1928[28])
Lady of the Imperial Order of the Crown of India (CI) -21 February 1947
Dame Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire (GBE: 1 January 1948;[29] CBE: 1 January 1943[30])
Service Medal of the Order of St John
King George V Silver Jubilee Medal[31]
King George VI Coronation Medal[31]
Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal[32]
In popular culture
Lady Mountbatten of Burma has been portrayed by:
- Janet Suzman in the 1986 television drama Lord Mountbatten: The Last Viceroy
- Maria Aitken in the 1998 biographical film Jinnah[33]
- Gillian Anderson in Gurinder Chadha's drama film Viceroy's House (2017)[34]
- Lucy Russell in series 2 of The Crown (2017)[35]
References
- ^ Encyclopedia. "Mountbatten, Edwina Ashley (1901-1960". Retrieved 10 July 2021.
- ^ GRO Register of Births: MAR 1902 1a 434 ST GEO HAN SQ = London
- ^ Janet Morgan, Edwina Mountbatten: A Life of Her Own (1991).
- ^ Tunzelmann, Alex von (2007). Indian Summer. India: Simon & Schuster. p. 60. ISBN 9781471166440.
- ^ a b UK Retail Price Index inflation figures are based on data from Clark, Gregory (2017). "The Annual RPI and Average Earnings for Britain, 1209 to Present (New Series)". MeasuringWorth. Retrieved 7 May 2024.
- ^ Von Tunzelmann, p. 71.
- ^ "Lord Louis Mountbatten". Life. 17 August 1942. p. 63. Retrieved 20 September 2012 – via Google Books.
- ^ "Nice and Friendly". Charlie Chaplin Official Website. Retrieved 5 August 2022.
- ^ Von Tunzelmann, p. 73.
- ^ Pearson, Drew (16 September 1944). "Ford May Convert Willow Run into Huge Tractor Plant". St. Peterburg Times. Retrieved 19 May 2013.
- ^ Hough, Richard (1984). Edwina Countess Mountbatten of Burma. New York: William Morrow and Company, Inc. ISBN 0-688-03766-6.
- ^ Edwina, Countess Mountbatten of Burma
- ^ Ahmed, A. (2005). Jinnah, Pakistan and Islamic Identity: The Search for Saladin. Taylor & Francis. p. 144. ISBN 978-1-134-75022-1. Retrieved 28 May 2024.
- ^ "The Bulletin of the Pioneer Centre". Peckham. 1 (5). September 1949. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
- ^ "Lady Mountbatten dies in sleep on visit to Borneo". The Sydney Morning Herald. London. Australian Associated Press. 21 February 1960. Retrieved 14 June 2013.
- ^ "Her Grave The Sea 1960". British Pathe.
- ^ As quoted in The Straits Times [Singapore] (7 August 2000).
- ^ "A TASTE OF OTHER SUMMERS - Love may not be the only theme of the Nehru-Edwina letters". Archived from the original on 5 November 2009.
- ^ Morgan, Janet (1992). "Leave-taking". Edwina Mountbatten - A Life of Her Own. London: Fontana. p. 481. ISBN 0006377874.
- ^ Hough, Richard (1983). "'Love and Serve'". Edwina - Countess Mountbatten of Burma. London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson. p. 217. ISBN 0297782843.
- ^ "Countess Mountbatten of Burma, The Right Honourable Edwina Cynthia Annette C.I. G. B. E. D. C. V. O." probatesearchservice.gov. UK Government. 1960. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
- ^ "No. 37702". The London Gazette. 27 August 1946. p. 4305. Note: The female version of Viscount, (the title given to her husband), was Viscountess.
- ^ "No. 37916". The London Gazette. 25 March 1947. p. 1399. Note: A viceregal consort, (her husband was a Viceroy, and the wife of a viceroy was a viceregal consort) held the style of Her Excellency.
- ^ "No. 38109". The London Gazette. 28 October 1947. p. 5074. Note: The female version of Earl, (the title given to her husband), was Countess.
- ^ Note: The female version of Earl, (the title given to her husband), was Countess.
- ^ "The London Gazette, 1 January 1946".
- ^ "No. 37417". The London Gazette. 1 January 1946. p. 203.
- ^ "No. 33453". The London Gazette. 19 December 1928. p. 49.
- ^ "No. 38161". The London Gazette (25th supplement). 1 January 1948.
- ^ "The London Gazette, 1 January 1943".
- ^ a b "Louis Mountbatten, Earl Mountbatten of Burma; Edwina Cynthia Annette (née Ashley), Countess Mountbatten of Burma - National Portrait Gallery". www.npg.org.uk. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
- ^ John, Museum of the Order of St (12 April 2017). "Edwina Mountbatten; Before Viceroy's House". Museum of the Order of St John. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
- ^ Jinnah (1998) at IMDb
- ^ Wiseman, Andreas (30 April 2015). "Hugh Bonneville, Gillian Anderson topline partition drama 'Viceroy's House'". Screen Daily. Retrieved 19 February 2016.
- ^ "The Crown" Misadventure (TV Episode 2017), retrieved 11 December 2017
Notes
- Alex von Tunzelmann. Indian Summer The Secret History of the End of an Empire. Pocket Books.
Further reading
- Morgan, Janet Edwina Mountbatten: A Life of Her Own, Scribners, 1991. ISBN 978-0684193465
- Ziegler, Philip, Mountbatten: the official biography, Collins, 1985. ISBN 978-0006370475
- Hough, Richard, Mountbatten: Hero of our time, London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson, 1980. ISBN 978-0297786221
External links
- 1901 births
- 1960 deaths
- 20th-century British people
- 20th-century English women
- British debutantes
- British countesses
- Companions of the Order of the Crown of India
- Dames Commander of the Royal Victorian Order
- Dames Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire
- Dames Grand Cross of the Order of St John
- Daughters of barons
- Mountbatten family
- Burials at sea
- British people of German-Jewish descent
- People from Test Valley
- Ashley-Cooper family
- Viceregal consorts of India
- Wives of knights
- Lord Mountbatten
- British women in World War II