Our guest today is Lord Ivar Mountbatten, a great-great-great grandson of Queen Victoria, cousin of Prince Phillip, descendant of Russian Tsars and of Pushkin, and the second son of David, the late Marquess of Milford Haven, who was Prince Philip's best man at his wedding to Princess Elizabeth in 1947. Lord Ivar tells Gyles about his complex and fascinating lineage, and he also tells him about growing up in a grand house "like Downton Abbey", surrounded by servants and with a mother who was lazy, uninterested in her children and too posh to pack her own suitcase. He talks about the death of his father when he was only 7, and about his relationship with his Great Uncle, Louis Mountbatten, who was eventually assassinated in 1979. Ivar talks about his schooldays and tells Gyles some great stories about holidaying with Queen Elizabeth II. He talks about his sexuality, about meeting and marrying his wife, and about how he eventually gained the courage to come out as gay and begin a new life with his now husband, James Coyle. And he talks about appearing on the US version of the Traitors! This is a fascinating snapshot of life in the English aristocracy, and an honest account of coming out as gay when you're a member of one of the most famous families in the world. Enjoy this. Timestamps 00:00 - Introduction 01:04 - Explaining the Mountbatten Family Lineage 04:23 - The Mountbatten Name Change and Family History 07:36 - Childhood Memories and Family Homes 12:29 - Mother's Background and the A&P Fortune 15:32 - Upbringing in a Downton Abbey-Style Household 21:01 - Relationship with Mother and Family Dynamics 31:16 - Education and Memories of Lord Mountbatten 39:37 - Early Awareness of Sexuality and Personal Reflections 46:47 - Connections with the Royal Family and Anecdotes 56:19 - Marriage to Penny and Family Life 01:03:22 - Coming Out and Meeting Husband James 01:10:16 - Winning The Traitors and Life Lessons #gylesbrandreth #rosebudpodcast #celebritybiography #lordivarmountbatten #celebritytraitors #mountbattern #royalfamily