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| Countess Mountbatten of Burma, who has died aged 93, was one of the three survivors of the IRA bomb that blew up her father’s old fishing boat, Shadow V, off the coast of Sligo in August 1979. Earl Mountbatten, 79, her 14-year-old son, Nicholas, and 15-year-old Paul Maxwell, an Irish boy crewing for them, were killed instantly. Lady Mountbatten’s mother-in-law, the 83-year-old dowager Lady Brabourne, died shortly afterwards. | Countess Mountbatten of Burma, who has died aged 93, was one of the three survivors of the IRA bomb that blew up her father’s old fishing boat, Shadow V, off the coast of Sligo in August 1979. Earl Mountbatten, 79, her 14-year-old son, Nicholas, and 15-year-old Paul Maxwell, an Irish boy crewing for them, were killed instantly. Lady Mountbatten’s mother-in-law, the 83-year-old dowager Lady Brabourne, died shortly afterwards. |
| Her husband, Lord Brabourne, and their other younger son, Timothy, the twin of Nicholas, were, like her, badly injured. The IRA described the murders as an “execution”, a way of “bringing emotionally home to the English ruling class and its working-class slaves ... that their government’s war on us is going to cost them as well”. | Her husband, Lord Brabourne, and their other younger son, Timothy, the twin of Nicholas, were, like her, badly injured. The IRA described the murders as an “execution”, a way of “bringing emotionally home to the English ruling class and its working-class slaves ... that their government’s war on us is going to cost them as well”. |
| She later recalled: “They watched from the shore while two old people, three children, a woman and a middle-aged man sailed off on a peaceful fishing expedition on a glorious day and then, when we were 300 yards out to sea, deliberately detonated the bomb, strapped beneath the hull, by remote control.” | She later recalled: “They watched from the shore while two old people, three children, a woman and a middle-aged man sailed off on a peaceful fishing expedition on a glorious day and then, when we were 300 yards out to sea, deliberately detonated the bomb, strapped beneath the hull, by remote control.” |
| In hospital, with 120 stitches in her face, including her eyeballs, she was unable even to cry, but once the stitches were removed, and for the first year after the atrocity, she wept every day, at the same time denying that she felt anger. She dismissed terrorists as “a sub species of human being who have curious ideas”. | In hospital, with 120 stitches in her face, including her eyeballs, she was unable even to cry, but once the stitches were removed, and for the first year after the atrocity, she wept every day, at the same time denying that she felt anger. She dismissed terrorists as “a sub species of human being who have curious ideas”. |
| In June 1995, she returned to Ireland, for the first time since the killings, to mark a visit by the Prince of Wales. She said she found the visit “a great experience”. With her went a photograph of Nicholas, aged two; she took it with her every time she had to spend a night away from home. | In June 1995, she returned to Ireland, for the first time since the killings, to mark a visit by the Prince of Wales. She said she found the visit “a great experience”. With her went a photograph of Nicholas, aged two; she took it with her every time she had to spend a night away from home. |
| Patricia Edwina Victoria Mountbatten was the elder daughter of Lord Louis Mountbatten, who in 1947 was created Earl Mountbatten of Burma, and his wife, Edwina (nee Ashley). Through her father, who was born Prince Louis of Battenberg, Lady Mountbatten was a great-great-granddaughter of Queen Victoria; she was a cousin of the Duke of Edinburgh and related to many of the royal families of Europe. | Patricia Edwina Victoria Mountbatten was the elder daughter of Lord Louis Mountbatten, who in 1947 was created Earl Mountbatten of Burma, and his wife, Edwina (nee Ashley). Through her father, who was born Prince Louis of Battenberg, Lady Mountbatten was a great-great-granddaughter of Queen Victoria; she was a cousin of the Duke of Edinburgh and related to many of the royal families of Europe. |
| Patricia was christened in the Chapel Royal, St James’s Palace. The Prince of Wales, later the Duke of Windsor, was her godfather, and among the guests were Douglas Fairbanks Sr and his wife, Mary Pickford. Lord Louis by all accounts became besotted with his daughter, and decades later she said of him: “He was a wonderful father, spending as much time with us as he possibly could. We had a very special relationship.” | Patricia was christened in the Chapel Royal, St James’s Palace. The Prince of Wales, later the Duke of Windsor, was her godfather, and among the guests were Douglas Fairbanks Sr and his wife, Mary Pickford. Lord Louis by all accounts became besotted with his daughter, and decades later she said of him: “He was a wonderful father, spending as much time with us as he possibly could. We had a very special relationship.” |
| Her mother, with a whirlwind social life, was said to have regarded her daughter as “an ornament with whom she was occasionally photographed for Eve, Queen, and the Lady”. With her sister, Pamela, Patricia was put into the care of a governess, Miss Vick. From time to time they lived on Malta, where Lord Louis was stationed, but then Edwina moved them to Budapest, thinking Malta was too near the unrest in fascist Italy. | Her mother, with a whirlwind social life, was said to have regarded her daughter as “an ornament with whom she was occasionally photographed for Eve, Queen, and the Lady”. With her sister, Pamela, Patricia was put into the care of a governess, Miss Vick. From time to time they lived on Malta, where Lord Louis was stationed, but then Edwina moved them to Budapest, thinking Malta was too near the unrest in fascist Italy. |
| When the second world war was declared in 1939, the Mountbatten girls were sent to live with the Vanderbilts in New York. Patricia returned to Britain in 1943, when she was 18, to join the Women’s Royal Naval Service (Wrens), serving as a signal rating at Combined Operations bases in the UK, and then as a third officer at South East Asia Command; her father was Supreme Allied Commander. | When the second world war was declared in 1939, the Mountbatten girls were sent to live with the Vanderbilts in New York. Patricia returned to Britain in 1943, when she was 18, to join the Women’s Royal Naval Service (Wrens), serving as a signal rating at Combined Operations bases in the UK, and then as a third officer at South East Asia Command; her father was Supreme Allied Commander. |
| In 1946 she married her father’s former ADC, John Knatchbull, the 7th Baron Brabourne, a Coldstream Guards officer, and later a film producer whose credits included A Passage to India, and many films based on the books of Agatha Christie. The wedding ceremony, at Romsey Abbey, close to the Mountbatten estate, Broadlands, in Hampshire, was witnessed by 1,000 guests, including King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret were bridesmaids. | In 1946 she married her father’s former ADC, John Knatchbull, the 7th Baron Brabourne, a Coldstream Guards officer, and later a film producer whose credits included A Passage to India, and many films based on the books of Agatha Christie. The wedding ceremony, at Romsey Abbey, close to the Mountbatten estate, Broadlands, in Hampshire, was witnessed by 1,000 guests, including King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret were bridesmaids. |
| The Brabournes had eight children, and Patricia devoted much of her life to bringing up her family at Newhouse in Mersham, Kent, on the Brabourne estate. A friend had said: “If circumstances had been different she would have made a much stronger mark on the fabric of her country. She was very brave, determined and efficient.” | The Brabournes had eight children, and Patricia devoted much of her life to bringing up her family at Newhouse in Mersham, Kent, on the Brabourne estate. A friend had said: “If circumstances had been different she would have made a much stronger mark on the fabric of her country. She was very brave, determined and efficient.” |
| Lady Mountbatten succeeded to her father’s title through a special remainder, granted by George VI in 1946, to allow the earldom to pass for one generation through the female line to her eldest son, Lord Romsey. | Lady Mountbatten succeeded to her father’s title through a special remainder, granted by George VI in 1946, to allow the earldom to pass for one generation through the female line to her eldest son, Lord Romsey. |
| She was involved in many charitable causes and organisations, some, such as the Burma Star Association, as a tribute to her father. In August 1995 she and Prince Philip marched with the Burma campaign veterans in the Mall, to mark the 50th anniversary of VJ Day. She was also colonel-in-chief Princess of Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry (1974-2007) and vice lord-lieutenant of Kent (1984-2000). | She was involved in many charitable causes and organisations, some, such as the Burma Star Association, as a tribute to her father. In August 1995 she and Prince Philip marched with the Burma campaign veterans in the Mall, to mark the 50th anniversary of VJ Day. She was also colonel-in-chief Princess of Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry (1974-2007) and vice lord-lieutenant of Kent (1984-2000). |
| Particularly interested in healthcare, children’s and bereavement charities, she was, among many voluntary roles, vice-president of the British Red Cross and of the NSPCC. She was appointed CBE in 1991. | Particularly interested in healthcare, children’s and bereavement charities, she was, among many voluntary roles, vice-president of the British Red Cross and of the NSPCC. She was appointed CBE in 1991. |
| John died in 2005. Patricia is survived by her children and 18 grandchildren. | John died in 2005. Patricia is survived by her children and 18 grandchildren. |
| • Patricia Edwina Victoria Knatchbull, Countess Mountbatten of Burma, born 14 February 1924; died 13 June 2017 |