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Mountbatten intended to propose marriage in September 1921 – but the death of his father changed his plans. Within days of the death of Mountbatten’s father, Cassel died and left his young granddaughter an estate of the value of over £7 million. Mountbatten decided against making a proposal, having been dissuaded by his mother with the thought that he was no longer in Edwina’s league as a poorly paid Naval officer. He then decided to accept the invitation from his cousin “David” the former HRH The Prince of Wales (later HM King Edward VIII (1894(1936)1972) and subsequently HRH The Duke of Windsor) on his tour of India and Japan, in an effort to give him some distance from Edwina. Mountbatten wrote to Edwina throughout the tour and at his request she engineered a way to stay with the then Viceroy at the Viceregal Lodge in Dehli. On 14th February 1922 there was a dance at the Viceregal Lodge and Mountbatten wrote “I danced 1 and 2 with Edwina. She had 3 and 4 with David (sic. The Prince of Wales) and the fifth dance we sat out in her sitting room, when I asked her if she would marry me, and she said she would.”

Mountabtten later said -

“... in India, I found three loves…the first, India herself… the second, polo… And finally... my real love.”

Mountbatten and Edwina were married on 18th July 1922 at St Margaret’s Church, Westminster, London in a glittering event, with all the Royal Family in attendance – and his cousin HRH The Prince of Wales (subsequently HM King Edward VIII (1894(1936)1972) and later HRH The Duke of Windsor), as best man. The marriage was blessed with two children -

Patricia Edwina Victoria MOUNTBATTEN, born 14th February 1924 – who later succeeded her father as 2nd Countess Mountbatten of Burma.

Pamela Carmen Louise MOUNTBATTEN, born 19th April 1929, later The Lady Pamela Hicks.

Mountbatten & his new wife -
The Hon. Edwina Ashley (Lady Louis Mountbatten)
following their marriage

Mountbatten & Edwina with their bridal party (bridesmaids and best-man

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