Ivar Mountbatten Was the First in the Extended Royal Family to Come Out as Gay — Meet His Husband

As a member of the extended British Royal Family, Lord Ivar Mountbatten, 61, gained global attention when he joined the cast of Season 3 of The Traitors on Peacock.

The son of David Mountbatten, the Third Marquess of Milford Haven, and Janet Mercedes Bryce, he is King Charles’s second cousin and a first cousin to Prince Philip. He's also the great-great-great-grandson of Queen Victoria.

While his royal ties are intriguing, many are equally curious about his personal life, including his husband and children.

Lord Ivar Mountbatten is married to James Coyle, a former airline cabin services director. Their love story began in 2015 when they met by chance at a bar in the Swiss resort of Verbier. According to the Daily Mail, James mistook Lord Ivar for a ski guide he had met previously, sparking a conversation that led to their eventual romance. Perhaps it was fate!

By 2016, Lord Ivar publicly shared the news of his relationship with James, marking a significant moment in his life. "Being a Mountbatten was never the problem," he explained at the time. "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," per the Daily Mail.

Before his marriage to James, Lord Ivar was married to Penelope "Penny" Anne Vere Thompson. The couple, who share several daughters (more on that below), divorced in 2011 after 17 years of marriage. Reflecting on his personal journey, Lord Ivar has admitted, "I’ve struggled with my sexuality, and in some ways, I still do. It has been a real journey to reach this point."

Being connected to the British Royal Family is a big deal on its own, but Lord Ivar’s love story carries even more significance — he’s the first member of the extended Royal Family to publicly come out as gay.

Until September 2024, Lord Ivar and James lived on the Bridwell Estate, where they opened the Orangery Café to the public. Lord Ivar had moved into the estate in 1997. On Sept. 8, he announced on Instagram that they were just days away from handing over the keys to its new owners.

Lord Ivar was married to Penny from 1994 to 2011, and during their marriage, they welcomed three daughters: Ella, Luli, and Alix.

In February 2022 the Daily Mail revealed how Alix discovered her father's sexuality — by reading about it in her sister’s diary.

Reflecting on the experience, she admitted, "I’d be lying if I didn’t say it was a bit of a shock at first," adding, "I was used to my father being with a woman and married to my mother. I never envisaged this outcome. However, as long as he’s happy, I don’t mind who he loves. That’s all you want for your parents, isn’t it? Their happiness."

In addition to support from his daughters, Lord Ivar's ex-wife, Penny, has also shown her acceptance and support for him and James. During an interview with Prime Video’s Attitude Magazine, Penny shared, "Ivar and James’s wedding was the most fantastic day — much better than Ivar and my wedding, I’ve got to say. It was so joyful."

Lord Ivar's net worth is estimated at around £762k, or just under $1 million, according to Company Check. Of course, this is just an estimate of his current assets, and his wealth could be higher. Recently, he and James sold their Bridwell estate, which was on the market for £5.5 million (about $6.82 million).

That money may have gone toward a new home or been pocketed.