Lord Ivar Mountbatten, a cousin of the late Queen Elizabeth II, is ready to star on the third season of The Traitors US.
His look on the programme, which is hosted by actor Alan Cumming, will not be his first foray into actuality tv, having beforehand appeared on ITV productions Holding Up with the Aristocrats in 2022, and The Queen and her Cousins in 2021.
Lord Mountbatten, 61, who’s the son of Janet Mercedes Bryce and the late David Mountbatten, third Marquess of Milford Haven is a second cousin of King Charles.
He was a primary cousin as soon as eliminated of the late Prince Philip and third cousin, as soon as eliminated, of Queen Elizabeth II.
Regardless of not being a working royal, the farmer, geologist, businessman is called the ‘first overtly homosexual royal’, as the primary recognized member of the prolonged British Royal household to be in a same-sex marriage.
Lord Ivar Mountbatten and Woman Penny pictured on their wedding ceremony day in 1994. The occasion was attended by Prince Edward and the then-Sophie Rees Jones (now the Duchess of Edinburgh )
Now, Lord Ivar Mountbatten (pictured, left) is married to James Coyle (pictured, proper), making him the primary recognized member of the prolonged royal household to have a similar intercourse marriage
Lord Ivar married airline cabin providers director James Coyle – who his ex-wife Penny as soon as described as a ‘attractive beast’ – at Bridwell Park, Ivar’s Grade-I listed residence in Devon, in 2018.
The union adopted his divorce from Woman Penny Mountbatten, who tied the knot in 1994 in a marriage attended by Prince Edward and the then-Sophie Rees Jones (now the Duchess of Edinburgh) and break up in 2011.
Nevertheless, he stays on good phrases together with his ex-wife, with whom he shares three daughters – Ella, 28, Alix, 26, and 21-year-old Luli. One in every of Ella’s godparents is Prince Edward, who, together with spouse Sophie, can also be a godparent Alix.
The previous couple had been on such good phrases after their break up, that Woman Penny gave Ivar away at his second wedding ceremony.
Talking forward of the nuptials, Woman Penny mentioned: ‘It was the ladies’ thought. It makes me really feel fairly emotional. I am actually very touched.’
Including that it was ‘in no way’ odd to be gifting away her ex-husband, Penny added that she and Ivar’s now-husband James acquired on effectively ‘from the primary ten seconds of assembly one another’.
She added that Ivar ‘modified a lot’ after popping out, saying: ‘Ivar is a lot extra relaxed today. He is a lot kinder. He is turn into an excellent cook dinner.
‘I now name him Fanny Cradock. He most likely wasn’t even conscious that by retaining his sexuality a secret it was actually fairly tormenting him. Now it is “out” he is a very totally different particular person. Everyone says they’ve by no means seen him happier.’
As a member of the prolonged royal household, Lord Ivar is pictured on the balcony at Buckingham Palace for Trooping the Color in 2005 (pictured L-R: Lord Ivar, Prince William the then-Duchess of Cornwall, then-Prince Charles, Prince Edward, and the late Queen Elizabeth II)
Talking on the similar time in regards to the friendship he and David share with Penny, Ivar mentioned: ‘We actually are a humorous threesome. Not in that approach.’
Regardless of showing to have one of many happiest marriages within the aristocratic circles inside which they combined, privately Lord Ivar was discretely exploring his sexuality whereas wed to Penny.
Forward of his wedding ceremony to David, he mentioned: ‘Penny accepted me for who I used to be, so maybe I relaxed and felt I may discover that a part of me as our marriage matured. Perhaps what occurred is, with me being so open, I might point out it to Penny and that will make her upset.
‘Maybe, on reflection, I should not have mentioned something however, once more, I do not need ever to cover something from anyone.’
Penny responded: ‘However I all the time requested for and demanded full honesty from Ivar. Maybe that may be a self-destructive a part of me, however I needed to know. I gave him his freedom as a result of I needed him to be comfortable.’
Lord Ivar (pictured third from left) is photographed holidaying with the royals, arriving at Scrabster Harbour in Scotland
Lord Ivar added he that was ‘by no means sad in [his and Penny’s] marriage’, explaining: ‘I adored Penny – actually liked her. However I all the time describe it as attempting to get a sq. peg right into a spherical gap. Deep, deep down, since her childhood, Penny hasn’t valued herself very extremely and could not settle for I liked her.’
He mentioned he remembers Penny saying she needed ‘somebody who needs me for me’, including that ‘I could not offer you that’.
And so, 15 years after their wedding ceremony, Penny left him. Describing her resolution, she mentioned: ‘I gave again all of the chattels, all of the Mountbatten jewels and left with nothing.
‘There was numerous judgment – “why has she carried out this?” – as a result of hardly anybody knew about Ivar’s sexuality, which was laborious to swallow.
‘However I used to be approaching 40 and thought, “it is now or by no means. I’ll keep on this marriage, the place I do not really feel our relationship can ever be complete, or depart”. I knew Ivar could not be his genuine self until I left. We each needed to take to the air and be the folks we would have liked to be.’
Woman Penny gave her blessing to her ex-husband’s new union, saying it was acceptable to everybody, notably their daughters due to ‘the character of James, the character of the beast the attractive beast’.
The remainder of his shut and prolonged household, together with his lifelong good friend Prince Edward, additionally authorized of the match.
Throughout the identical interview earlier than the marriage, Ivar mentioned: ‘Sophie and Edward know of our plans and are actually excited for us. Sadly they can not come to the marriage. Their diaries are organized months prematurely they usually’re not round, however they adore James. Everybody adores him.’
Bridwell Park (pictured) in Devon is Lord Ivar Mountbatten’s grade I listed residence, which is now out there to rent for occasions together with weddings
Ivar and James are at present regarded as residing collectively in Ivar’s nation pile in Devon, the grade I listed Bridwell Park that he used to share with Penny and their daughters.
Nevertheless, they not too long ago put the property available on the market for £5.5 million amid rising prices, following two earlier unsuccessful makes an attempt to promote the house.
In accordance with reviews, Lord Ivar and James seem to have each intention of remaining on the property, come what could.
In a press release launched earlier this yr, Lord Mountbatten mentioned that the location in Uffculme, Devon, – which incorporates a Georgian home, orangery and chapel throughout 100 acres of landscaped late 18th century deer park – could be positioned on the open market.
He wrote: ‘James and I want to advise our guests, Associates of Bridwell members, subscribers, occasion purchasers and suppliers of stories that Bridwell will this week be positioned on the open market with each Knight Frank Industrial and Residential divisions.
‘Our purpose is to seek out an investor to hitch us,’ explains Ivar, including that he and James will ‘fastidiously evaluate how we will make greatest use of the home and the parkland’.
In early 2023, in a bid to cowl the park’s overheads, he launched admission charges. Nevertheless, these had been scrapped in February this yr – after the extra charges failed to herald as a lot money as first thought.
Lord Mountbatten mentioned: ‘Sadly, there isn’t a getting away from the truth that membership and normal admission earnings hasn’t strengthened our place as a lot as we hoped or wanted.
‘From February 1, I shall be lifting all admission costs to the Orangery Cafe and Parkland.
FRIENDS: Lord Ivar Mountbatten (pictured, proper) together with his ex-wife Penny (pictured, centre) and then-fiance James Coyle (pictured, left)
‘My purpose is to maintain the wolf from the door by sustaining wholesome customer numbers throughout the seven day week and to encourage everybody in our native and wider neighborhood to really feel welcome to go to us.’
The property is at present out there for rent, for weddings and different occasions. Amongst them is the Queer Spirit Pageant, which they first hosted in 2023, prompting headlines.
Forward of final yr’s occasion, organisers described it as 5 days of ‘neighborhood, pleasure, play, and enrichment for physique, thoughts, and soul’.
Revellers had been invited to take pleasure in a ‘sacred sexuality temple,’ in addition to an ‘adults-only sauna’ and a variety of workshops on topics starting from ‘sexual liberation to kink’.
Talking forward of the competition, Lord Ivar mentioned: ‘It is a household competition, so youngsters are welcome.
‘They [Queer Spirit] are paying fairly some huge cash, so we’re simply the venue.’
He added: ‘We’ve a deer fence that goes all the best way round [the estate] and there’s no alcohol concerned. I mentioned, “Why don’t you’ve got alcohol?” They mentioned, “It’s religious and family-focused”.
‘It is going to be fairly fun and my youngsters are frightfully enthusiastic about it.’
Now, Lord Ivar has hit the headlines as soon as extra resulting from his impending look on The Traitors US.
The programme, which is ready in Ardross Citadel within the Scottish Highlands, incorporates a related set-up to the BBC collection The Traitors, which is hosted by Claudia Winkleman.
Lord Ivar Mountbatten (pictured, left) is photographed together with his husband James Coyle (pictured, proper) after their wedding ceremony ceremony
Nevertheless, the US model, which is hosted by actor Alan Cumming, options celebrities fairly than members of the general public.
Alongside Lord Ivar Mountbatten, the programme, which shall be out there to British viewers through streaming service Peacock, will characteristic Britney Spears’ estranged husband Sam Asghari and Vanderpump Guidelines star Tom Sandoval amongst others.
Contestants are divided into two teams – the faithfuls, and a smaller group known as the traitors.
With $250,000 (£195,785) up for grabs, the purpose of the traitors is to eradicate different contestants from the competitors.
Selling the upcoming season, Alan Cumming mentioned: ‘That is certain to be essentially the most treacherous season but.’
The farmer, geologist, businessman and first overtly homosexual member of the prolonged British Royal household will participate within the widespread actuality collection hosted by actor Alan Cumming.
The present, set in Ardross Citadel within the Scottish Highlands, takes the same format to the BBC psychological collection hosted by Claudia Winkleman, however options celebrities as an alternative of members of the general public.
Lord Mountbatten, 61, will star alongside Sam Asghari, the estranged husband of Britney Spears, in addition to Vanderpump Guidelines star Tom Sandoval and Promoting Sundown’s Chrishell Stause.
It’s going to see the gamers divided into the “faithfuls” and a smaller group of chosen “traitors” – whose purpose is to eradicate the opposite contestants and win as much as $250,000 (£195,785) themselves.
British viewers can watch it on American streaming service Peacock.
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The present has beforehand seen well-known British faces participate, together with former Home of Commons speaker John Bercow and Love Island winner Ekin-Su Culculoglu, who each featured within the second collection.
Alan Cumming pictured on Season 2 of The Traitors US
Alan Cumming pictured on Season 2 of The Traitors US CREDIT: Euan Cherry
Fellow contestant Asghari, who was listed as an actor within the promotion for the upcoming collection, break up with pop star Spears in 2023, with the couple citing “irreconcilable variations” of their courtroom filings.
They acquired married at a star-studded ceremony on the US singer’s residence in Los Angeles in June 2022 after assembly on the set of the Slumber Social gathering music video in 2016.
Their wedding ceremony was attended by high-profile celebrities together with Madonna, Selena Gomez, Drew Barrymore and Paris Hilton.
Additionally collaborating within the third collection are RuPaul’s Drag Race winner Bob the Drag Queen, The Greatest Loser coach Bob Harper, Summer time Home star Ciara Miller and WWE wrestler Nikki Garcia.
Different contestants embody Zac Efron’s youthful brother Dylan, Survivor opponents Carolyn Wiger, Jeremy Collins, Rob Mariano and Tony Vlachos, Actual Housewives franchise stars Dorinda Medley, Robyn Dixon, Dolores Catania and Chanel Ayan, former The Bachelor spin-off stars Gabby Windey and Wells Adams and Massive Brother US model stars Britney Haynes and Danielle Reyes.
Cumming revealed the solid in a video on YouTube, the place he was seated in entrance of a fireplace and sporting a yellow tartan go well with.
He mentioned: “That is certain to be essentially the most treacherous season but.”
