Lord Mountbatten’s great-granddaughter, Maddison, and her fiancé, Bret Kapetanov, share their joy in an exclusive interview and photoshoot, where they also talk about their upcoming wedding.
Maddison, a former Ralph Lauren model and third cousin to Princes William and Harry, is 30 years old, as is Bret. Their whirlwind romance began after they met, and Bret soon proposed and moved across the Atlantic to be with her.
“Our family feels complete,” says Maddison, who was a mother of three and going through a divorce when she met Bret, a Canadian millwright, while visiting friends in his hometown of Windsor, Ontario.
Their son, Michael Adam, named after Maddison’s grandfather, royal obstetrician Michael Brudenell, was born at home on August 6, weighing 8lb 4oz. However, following a 40-hour labor, both Maddison and baby Michael were rushed to the hospital when the umbilical cord snapped.
“I lifted him out of the water and held him to my chest, and then I heard a snap. It was very alarming,” Maddison recalls. “Michael went pale, and the midwives quickly took over before the ambulances arrived.”
Despite their different backgrounds, Maddison and Bret felt an undeniable connection. Maddison describes how sparks flew during their last day in Canada when Bret took her and her children—Daphne, seven, Phebe, five, and Moses, three—to the airport.
“It was impossible to resist the magnetic attraction between us. We were drawn together, and we kissed. It felt like true love,” she says.
Bret, who grew up on a farm, lives a life far removed from Maddison’s glamorous world, which has included fashion shows, glitzy parties, and appearances on the Buckingham Palace balcony for Trooping the Colour. She was also a guest at Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral. Yet the couple have bonded over their shared passion for sustainability and their Christian faith.
Bret admits, “I knew a little about her background with the royals, but I didn’t think she’d be interested in someone like me, a welder.”
The interview took place at an Oxfordshire mansion once owned by Maddison’s grandparents—Lady Pamela Hicks, a cousin of the late Duke of Edinburgh and former bridesmaid and lady-in-waiting to Queen Elizabeth II, and interior designer David Hicks. Maddison’s aunt is designer and former model India Hicks.
Maddison shares that Lady Pamela is “very proud to call Bret her new grandson-in-law.” She adds, “He had a very different upbringing than I did—working on the farm before and after school. In that way, he’s a gentleman. He knows how to treat a woman and respect his elders. He’s shown my grandmother nothing but respect, and she holds him in high regard.”
Reflecting on their relationship, Maddison says, “The merging of our two worlds has been incredible. I didn’t even know what a welder was when I met Bret, and he had no interest in fashion. But now he’s attended shows with me, and I’ve even tried welding in his workshop!”
Seeing Bret as a father to baby Michael has made Maddison even more excited about their future together. “My dream of a happy family has come true, and I can’t wait to celebrate our love and life together at our wedding next month.”
