Prince Edward, The Duke of Edinburgh, 60, reconnected with a close family friend during his engagements in Hampshire earlier last week.
On Wednesday, Edward presented the King’s Award to Ahmad Tea at its headquarters, where he was warmly greeted by Penelope Knatchbull, Countess Mountbatten of Burma, and her daughter, Lady Alexandra Hooper.
Countess Mountbatten, 71, was a cherished friend of the late Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip. Her friendship with the Duke of Edinburgh grew over their shared passion for carriage driving competitions, and she has been a regular at the Royal Windsor Horse Show for many years.
Penny was among the select 30 attendees at Prince Philip’s funeral in April 2021, held under strict COVID-19 restrictions at St George’s Chapel in Windsor, and she also attended Queen Elizabeth’s state funeral at Westminster Abbey in September 2022.
Penny’s entry into the royal circles came through her marriage to Norton Knatchbull, 3rd Earl Mountbatten of Burma. Norton is the grandson of Prince Philip’s beloved uncle, the 1st Earl Mountbatten, who was tragically killed by the IRA in 1979.
This connection makes Norton a second cousin to King Charles. In a show of their close bond, King Charles walked Penny’s daughter, Alexandra, down the aisle at her wedding in 2016 at Romsey Abbey, as Norton was too ill to perform the role.
King Charles had also served as best man at Penny and Norton’s wedding at Romsey Abbey in 1979, and in return, Norton was asked to be godfather to Charles’s eldest son, Prince William.
Penny’s life and close ties to the royal family were even depicted in the fifth season of The Crown, with actress Natascha McElhone playing her character.
The Earl and Countess Mountbatten currently reside at Broadlands, their family estate in Hampshire, which has a significant place in royal history.
It hosted the honeymoon of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip in 1947, and later, the newlyweds Charles and Diana spent time there after their wedding in 1981.
