If you thought American Meghan Markle was an unprecedented royal bride, wait until you hear about the wedding plans for Queen Elizabeth II's cousin, Lord Ivar Mountbatten, who's set to become the first royal in history to enter into a same-sex marriage. His ex-wife, mother of his three children, will walk him down the aisle at the ceremony this summer. And everybody with an HRH before their name seems to be pretty cool about it. No doubt about it, the members of the British royal family, who once clutched their pearls at the thought of even meeting a divorced person let alone marrying one (Prince Harry married divorced American actress Markle on May 19), have well and truly entered the 21st century. Here's the quick summary of the ancestry of Ivar Mountbatten, 55: He is related to the royal Windsors because they are all descended from Queen Victoria. (He's a great-great-great grandson.) Thus, he is a distant cousin to the queen, a closer cousin to her husband, Prince Philip, and the nephew of Lord Louis "Uncle Dickie" Mountbatten, who helped get Elizabeth and Philip together, who was a beloved mentor to Prince Charles and who was killed in an IRA bombing in Ireland in 1979. Ivar Mountbatten, a farmer and trained geologist, was married in 1994 to Penelope Vere Thompson, 52. They are the parents of three daughters, ages 22, 20 and 15. They had a largely happy marriage but divorced in 2011 over his secret sexuality. In 2016, he came out publicly as a gay man in a relationship with James Coyle, an airline cabin-services director whom he met at a Swiss ski resort popular with members of the royal family. Word of his wedding plans has been circulating in the British media for months but over the weekend, Mountbatten, Coyle and Penny Mountbatten were interviewed about their unconventional family by The Daily Mail, complete with pictures of the trio looking deliriously happy. On Twitter, the story was greeted with approval by advocates for gay people. The two men plan to marry later this summer in the private chapel on Mountbatten's country estate in Devon near the village of Uffculme. They agreed to an interview because they want the public announcement of the first same-sex marriage in the extended royal family to be handled with "dignity." "We really are a funny threesome," said Lord Ivar as he showed writer Rebecca Hardy into a drawing room. "Not in that way!" he adds laughing as the rest look bemused. Penny Mountbatten, who has an events-planning business in London, is so on board about the marriage she's going to give her ex away at the ceremony. "It was the girls' idea," she said in her first interview on the subject. "It makes me feel quite emotional. I'm really very touched." She said her former husband is a changed man, and for the better, since he came out. "James is hugely responsible for that because he's so much fun," she said. "Ivar is so much more relaxed these days. He's so much kinder." Mountbatten is certainly not the first gay person in the 1,000-year history of British royalty: Even reigning kings such as Richard I The Lionheart, Edward II and James I are considered by biographers and historians to be among those who likely were homosexuals. But none of them were open about it (the penalty could be death) and certainly none of them ever entered a same-sex marriage, which has been legal in England, Wales and Scotland only since 2014. So Mountbatten is unique. His marriage plans have the blessing of families and friends, including Mountbatten's lifelong friend Prince Edward, the queen's youngest son. Mountbatten is godparent to the Earl of Wessex's elder child, while he and his wife, Countess Sophie, are godparents to Mountbatten's two eldest daughters. But it's not clear whether any senior members of the royal family will be attending the nuptials, largely because royal schedules are put in place months or years in advance. Mountbatten's daughters are mostly blase about the coming wedding, he and his intended said. "It's a very modern marriage,"' Coyle said. "There was no proposal, just an acceptance of this great love. He cares. I care. The girls are very accepting. Three years ago they were saying: 'Wow. Are you guys going to get married?' " Mountbatten said his eldest daughter, Ella, told him a same-sex marriage is no longer a big deal. "It's so normal nowadays." But Mountbatten himself says he feels uncomfortable at times, having grown up in the culturally constricting environments of royal and aristocratic families. "I've lived my whole life as a heterosexual. So, all of a sudden, having a bloke around is unusual — even now. It's brilliant but I suppose in an ideal world I would prefer to have a wife because that has always been the norm." They're planning a small wedding, just close family and about 120 friends for the reception afterwards. And there won't be two men in tuxedos on a cake, white doves or "anything twee or contrived like that," added Coyle.<doc-sep>Another historic royal wedding is set to take place this summer - the family's first same-sex nuptials. Lord Ivar Mountbatten, a cousin of Queen Elizabeth II, first made history when he announced he was gay in 2016 and became the first member of the royal family to do so. Following his announcement, Lord Mountbatten revealed he was in a relationship with James Coyle, who he will marry during the summer. The wedding will be made even more special because Lord Mountbatten’s ex-wife will play a special part in the ceremony, it was revealed at the weekend. Penny, with whom Lord Mountbatten has three daughters, told the Daily Mail she will be the one walking her ex-husband down the aisle. “It was the girls’ idea,” she said of the new wedding details. “It makes me feel quite emotional. I’m really very touched.” Lord Mountbatten’s first royal wedding, which he referred to as "the best day of my life," was attended by the Queen’s youngest son, Prince Edward and his wife Sophie, who have extended their blessing to the happy couple. Speaking to the Mail, Lord Mountbatten said his royal relatives know of the plans and are “really excited for us.” “Sadly they can’t come to the wedding. Their diaries are arranged months in advance and they’re not around, but they adore James. Everyone adores him,” he told the newspaper. As for the plans for the big day, James revealed that the ceremony, taking place in the private chapel on Lord Mountbatten's estate in Devon, will be small and intimate, with just close friends and family in attendance followed by a bigger reception of 120 guests. And while there will not be traditional wedding components such as a first dance, white doves or a wedding cake, there will be cheese, according to the pair. In pictures: UK's first gay weddings Show all 16 1 /16 In pictures: UK's first gay weddings In pictures: UK's first gay weddings First gay marriages Lesbian couple Sarah Keith (left) and Emma Powell embrace while posing for photographs after their same-sex wedding at the Claremont Hotel in Brighton Reuters In pictures: UK's first gay weddings First gay marriages Sean Adl-Tabatabai, center, and Sinclair Treadway, right, pose for photographers with the openly gay mayor of Camden Jonathan Simpson, left, after they were announced officially married in a wedding ceremony in the Council Chamber at Camden Town Hall in London, Saturday 29 March, 2014 AP In pictures: UK's first gay weddings First gay marriages Helen Brearley (right) and Teresa Millward pose for photographs after getting married at Halifax Register Office Getty Images In pictures: UK's first gay weddings First gay marriages Gay couple Neil Allard (right) and Andrew Wale are married in the Music Room of Brighton's Royal Pavilion shortly after midnight in one of the UK's first same-sex weddings Getty Images In pictures: UK's first gay weddings First gay marriages Sean Adl-Tabatabai, third from left, and Sinclair Treadway, fourth from left, pose for photographs with, from left, the openly gay mayor of Camden Jonathan Simpson, deputy superintendent registrar Steven Lord and registrar officer Tania Uddin AP In pictures: UK's first gay weddings First gay marriages A woman waves a rainbow flag as gay couple Peter McGraith and David Cabreza leave Islington Town Hall Getty Images In pictures: UK's first gay weddings First gay marriages A solitary demonstrator holds a placard in protest against the legalisation of same sex marriage, outside St Margaret's Church, Westminster Abbey, London PA In pictures: UK's first gay weddings First gay marriages Sean Adl-Tabatabai and Sinclair Treadway look jovial as they tie the knot in front of around 100 guests AP In pictures: UK's first gay weddings First gay marriages The rainbow flag flies above British Cabinet Offices, marking the first day Britain has allowed same sex marriages, in London Reuters In pictures: UK's first gay weddings First gay marriages Lesbian couple Sarah Keith and Emma Powell (left) react after their same-sex wedding at the Claremont Hotel in Brighton Reuters In pictures: UK's first gay weddings First gay marriages A pair of shoes are pictured on a chair at a place setting during the reception after the same-sex wedding of couple Sarah Keith and Emma Powell in Brighton Reuters In pictures: UK's first gay weddings First gay marriages Camden mayor Jonathan Simpson speaks during the ceremony, which took place just after midnight on Saturday AP In pictures: UK's first gay weddings First gay marriages Sean Adl-Tabatabai looks on as his new husband Sinclair Treadway signs official documents AP In pictures: UK's first gay weddings First gay marriages Sean Adl-Tabatabai and Sinclair Treadway hold hands as they celebrate their marriage AP In pictures: UK's first gay weddings First gay marriages Sean Adl-Tabatabai and Sinclair Treadway toast married life AP In pictures: UK's first gay weddings First gay marriages Sealed with a kiss: Sean Adl-Tabatabai and Sinclair Treadway make it official AP Of the couple's decision to marry and have a wedding, Lord Mountbatten said he wants to do it for his partner. “For me, what’s interesting is I don’t need to get married because I’ve been there, done that and have my wonderful children; but I’m pushing it because I think it’s important for him,” Lord Mountbatten said. “James hasn’t had the stable life I have. I want to be able to give you that.” Although the Queen has not commented on her cousin's upcoming nuptials, she has previously made statements in support of LGBT rights. During her speech at the State Opening of Parliament in 2017, she said: "My government will make further progress to tackle the gender pay gap and discrimination against people on the basis of their race, faith, gender, disability, or sexual orientation." On May 19 2018, Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, made history when she married Prince Harry and became the first mixed-race woman to marry into the British royal family.<doc-sep>Lord Ivar Mountbatten. Photo: David M. Benett/Getty Images for Dockers Now that Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are just another married couple, it’s time for the wedding-crazed to focus on the next tradition-breaking royal wedding. Luckily, Queen Elizabeth’s cousin, Lord Ivar Mountbatten is getting married to his partner. Which means the royal family is about to have its first gay wedding. Lord Mountbatten, great-great-great-grandson of Queen Victoria, was the first member of the royal family to come out in 2016. He is engaged to his partner, James Coyle. According to the Daily Mail, who interviewed the couple, the extended family is supportive of the marriage. Lord Mountbatten had previously been married to a woman and has three children. His ex-wife, Penny, told the newspaper that she will walk him down the aisle. He told the Daily Mail, that he doesn’t “need to get married because I’ve been there, done that and have my wonderful children; but I’m pushing it because I think it’s important for him. James hasn’t had the stable life I have.” It will be a “small ceremony” with only close family and friends, followed by a reception with only 120 guests. Here’s hoping the Duchess of Sussex will support another history-making wedding.<doc-sep>Lord Ivar Mountbatten (top left) The Royal Family will celebrate their first gay wedding later this summer when Lord Ivar Mountbatten marries his partner James Coyle. But who is the man with the incredibly posh name and fancy title? Lord Mountbatten is a 55-year-old farmer and geologist, who is the Queen’s cousin, the great great great grandson of Queen Victoria, the great-nephew of Earl Mountbatten of Burma and the son of the 3rd Marquess of Milford Haven. He married Penelope Thompson in 1994, in Clare, Surrey, and the pair share three daughters, Ella, 22, Alix, 20, and 15-year-old Luli. Despite divorcing eight years ago the exes have a brilliant relationship and Thompson will be walking Mountbatten down the aisle on his big day. He came out in an interview with Coyle two years ago. The couple met on a skiing holiday in March, and the relationship has been a key landmark for them both. He is the first member of the extended royal family to come out as gay, and while he is happier, admitted at the time that he’s still finding his feet in his new relationship. “I am a lot happier now, though I am still not 100% comfortable with being gay,” he told The Mail on Sunday. “Being a Mountbatten was never the problem, it was the generation into which I was born. When I was growing up, it was known as ‘the love that dare not speak its name’, but what’s amazing now is how far we have all come in terms of acceptance.” “Coming out is such a funny phrase but it’s what I suppose I did in a rather roundabout way, emerging to a place I’m happy to be. I have struggled with my sexuality and in some ways I still do; it has been a real journey to reach this point.” “Simply talking about it in public is a huge step for me. Up to this point, I have had a heterosexual lifestyle, so living with a man is really new. One step at a time.” Whilst having a boyfriend has provided the Lord with some learning curves, it’s also been a blessing in disguise. His daughters like having another man in the house, rather than a step-mother. And his ex, Thompson, goes to yoga with his new boyfriend.<doc-sep>
The royal family held a historic wedding this spring with the nuptials of Prince Harry and American actress Meghan Markle, but there's about to be one more "first" before wedding season is over. Queen Elizabeth II's cousin, Lord Ivar Mountbatten, announced that he will marry his partner James Coyle this summer in the royal family's first same-sex marriage, reported the Daily Mail. Lord Mountbatten made history in 2016 when he announced he was gay, becoming the first member of the royal family to do so. Shortly after, he revealed his relationship with now-fiance Coyle. The ceremony will be held in a private chapel on Lord Mountbatten's estate in Devon, England. While the wedding ceremony is limited to close family and friends, the couple invited 120 guests to the reception, but the queen and her immediate family won't be in attendance. "Sadly they can't come to the wedding. Their diaries are arranged months in advance and they're not around, but they adore James. Everyone adores him," Lord Mountbatten told The Daily Mail. Prior to coming out, Lord Mountbatten was married to Lady Penny Mountbatten and shared three children with her. The couple divorced eight years ago, but there are definitely no hard feelings -- Lady Mountbatten is going to walk her former husband down the aisle. "It was the girls' idea," said Lady Mountbatten, "It makes me feel quite emotional. I'm really very touched." As to why the Lord chose to make history with his wedding, he told the Daily Mail that it's all about his groom. "For me, what's interesting is I don't need to get married because I've been there, done that and have my wonderful children," said the royal. "James hasn't had the stable life I have. I want to be able to give you that."