Countess Mountbatten, aka Penelope Knatchbull, is the wife of Earl Mountbatten, Norton Knatchbull and they live in a 60-room mansion in Hampshire called Broadlands. The tragic death of their daughter, who was aged just five, is the reason they will always remain living at this property.
Friend of the Queen and the late Prince Philip, Penelope gave birth to three children, Nicholas, Alexandra and Leonora and tragedy struck in 1991, when Leonora sadly died of liver cancer. The couple then decided to have her buried within the grounds of their family home.
The Express reported that a close friend said: “Norton was uneasy about putting her grave there because he feared it would mean they would never get over the death of the little girl they loved so much, but Penny insisted. She wanted Leonora to be where she could always see her and be with her. So she will never leave Broadlands, never.”
The 18th century, Grade I listed property with its idyllic 86-acre grounds was in fact the honeymoon location for the Queen and Prince Philip after their iconic wedding day in 1947.
Prince Charles and Princess Diana also followed suit and enjoyed the first three days of their own honeymoon at Broadlands in 1981, travelling to the estate via train from London Waterloo.
At one time, Countess Mountbatten of Burma was left to run the entire estate on her own when her husband had an affair and left the marital home, but they have since reconciled.
Penelope, formerly Lady Romsey and Lady Brabourne, is more affectionately known as Penny among the royals, and her and the late Prince Philip bonded over a love of carriage driving, after the Duke taught her the ropes.
The Countess will be one of the 30 people invited to attend the Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral taking place on Saturday 17 April.