Louis Francis Albert Victor Nicholas Mountbatten

Louis Francis Albert Victor Nicholas Mountbatten was born on June 25, 1900 at Windsor Castle, in the presence of his great-grandmother Queen Victoria. He was the youngest child of Prince Louis of Battenberg and Princess Victoria of Hesse and by Rhine, both grandchildren of Queen Victoria. He was a Hessian prince by birth and a member of the Battenberg family, a morganatic branch of the House of Hesse-Darmstadt. He was congenitally deaf, but learned to speak and lip-read in English and German. He married Edwina Cynthia Annette Ashley on July 18, 1922 at St. Margaret's Church, Westminster. She was the heiress to the fortune of Sir Ernest Cassel, one of the richest men in Britain. They had two daughters: Patricia, born in 1924, and Pamela, born in 1929. Their marriage was unconventional and both had affairs with other people, but they remained devoted to each other until Edwina's death in 1960. He joined the Royal Navy in 1913 as a cadet and served in both World Wars. He rose to the rank of Admiral of the Fleet and held several important commands and appointments. He was a pioneer of radio communication and naval aviation. He was also involved in the development of radar and the planning of the Allied invasion of Europe in 1944. He was known for his charisma, innovation and leadership skills. In 1947, he was appointed as the last Viceroy and Governor-General of India by Prime Minister Clement Attlee. He was given the task of overseeing the transfer of power from Britain to India and Pakistan, which were to become independent nations on August 15, 1947. He negotiated with the leaders of the Indian National Congress, the Muslim League and the princely states to achieve a peaceful partition of the subcontinent. He also presided over the ceremonies that marked the birth of the two new dominions. He was widely respected and admired by Indians and Pakistanis for his fairness and impartiality. He returned to Britain in 1948 and continued his naval career until 1959, when he retired from active service. He then became an elder statesman and a public figure. He was involved in various charitable causes and organisations, such as the Order of St John, the United World Colleges and The Prince's Trust. He was also a mentor and confidant to his nephew Prince Philip and his great-nephew Prince Charles. He advised them on their personal lives and their roles as members of the royal family. He was assassinated on August 27, 1979 by members of the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA), who planted a bomb on his fishing boat Shadow V near his holiday home in Mullaghmore, County Sligo, Ireland. He was killed along with his grandson Nicholas Knatchbull, his daughter's mother-in-law Doreen Brabourne and his boat boy Paul Maxwell. His funeral was held at Westminster Abbey on September 5, 1979 and was attended by Queen Elizabeth II, Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and other dignitaries. He was buried at Romsey Abbey in Hampshire, near his home at Broadlands. He was a remarkable man who lived a remarkable life. He was a war hero, a statesman, a royal and a philanthropist. He was also a loving husband, father, grandfather and uncle. He left behind a legacy of service, courage and compassion that inspired generations of people around the world.