Prince Philip’s cousin, Patricia, Countess Mountbatten of Burma, has died at the age of 93.
A statement from the family reads:
It is with great sadness that we announce the death of the Countess Mountbatten of Burma.
Patricia Mountbatten died peacefully on Tuesday 13th June at her home in Mersham, Kent, surrounded by her children. Her husband, the celebrated film producer Lord Brabourne, died in 2005.
Patricia Mountbatten, known locally as Lady Brabourne, lived at Newhouse at Mersham Ash, near Ashford in Kent. She was the eldest child of Lord and Countess Mountbatten of Burma, the last Viceroy and Vicerine of India, making her a first cousin to Prince Philip.
The Countess is perhaps well-known amongst royal-watchers for being a regular contributor to documentaries about the Royal Family, as someone who spent much time with both The Duke of Edinburgh and later The Queen.
Margaret Rhodes, The Queen’s cousin, died in 2016
Patricia Mountbatten, known locally as Lady Brabourne, lived at Newhouse at Mersham Ash, near Ashford. In her long life, she was a lady-in-waiting to The Queen, as well as being one of her bridesmaids in 1947, and was given the honour of being a godmother to Prince Charles.
During WWII, she joined the Women’s Royal Naval Service as a Signal Rating at the age of 19, before being commissioned as a third officer in 1945.
She later served in the supreme allied headquarters based in Sri Lanka, where she met Lord Brabourne, who was an aide to her father. The couple married in 1946 as John worked as a producer, having eight children, and 18 grandchildren. He died in 2005.
Unusually, each of them held a peerage in their own right.
The Countess’ father, Louis was killed by an IRA bomb on his fishing boat off the coast of Ireland in 1979, along with her 14-year-old son, Nicholas. Patricia was on board the boat when it happened, as was her other son, Timothy, Nicholas’ twin; they were both unhurt.
Afterwards she turned her personal loss into a force for good by using her experience to help other bereaved parents, through her support of two charities: the Child Bereavement Charity and Compassionate Friends.
The Countess’ family said the arrangements for a funeral in London – likely attended by members of the Royal Family – followed by a burial service in Mersham will be announced in due course.