WikipediaExtracts:Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma

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Louis Francis Albert Victor Nicholas Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma (born Prince Louis of Battenberg; commonly known as Lord Mountbatten; 25 June 1900 – 27 August 1979), was a British statesman, naval officer, and member of the British royal family. A maternal uncle of Prince Philip and second cousin once removed of Queen Elizabeth II, he served in the Royal Navy during both world wars and rose to become Supreme Allied Commander, South East Asia Command, in the later stages of the Second World War. He subsequently oversaw the transition of British India to independence as the last Viceroy and the first Governor‑General of independent India.

Mountbatten later held senior posts in the post‑war armed forces, serving as First Sea Lord and then as Chief of the Defence Staff. He remained closely associated with the royal family throughout his life and acted as a mentor to his great‑nephew, the future King Charles III. Beyond his official duties, he was active in international education, naval and sporting organisations, and a range of charitable and cultural initiatives.

His career and reputation have been the subject of considerable debate. Admirers highlighted his energy, charm, and administrative ability, while critics accused him of vanity, self‑promotion, and flawed judgement, particularly in relation to the partition of India and his wartime assessments in South East Asia. His private life also attracted scrutiny, and he became the focus of later allegations, some of which were dismissed by official inquiries.

In August 1979, Mountbatten was assassinated by the Provisional Irish Republican Army when a bomb exploded aboard his fishing boat at Mullaghmore, County Sligo. His death prompted widespread condemnation and international mourning, and he received a ceremonial funeral at Westminster Abbey.