The thatched cottage outside which Lord Ivar Mountbatten and his husband, James Coyle, proudly pose is the archetypal chocolate-box country home. It has cream-coloured exterior walls and breathtaking views of rolling hills, while its extensive grounds include a lake, tennis court and swimming pool, as well as plenty of room for the couple’s beloved dog, Simba, to roam around.
Inside, the Devon property is a mix of modern and traditional. Although the cottage is spacious, with five bedrooms and four bathrooms, it is nowhere near the size of the couple’s former mansion, the Grade II-listed Bridwell Park, which is a quarter of a mile away. For Ivar, however, it is perfect.
A second cousin of the King, Ivar is also the great-great-great grandson of Queen Victoria, but is more closely related to the current monarch through Louis Mountbatten, first Marquess of Milford Haven, who is the great-grandfather of both men.
“This is our first joint marital home and it’s lovely,” Ivar tells HELLO! as we join the couple for this exclusive interview and photoshoot. “It’s very nice to have a huge house with this, that and the other, but as you get older, you want a simpler life.”
James adds: “I like the fact that our new home is more manageable and provides a much less formal way of living. The cottage allows us to truly relax and have a lot more privacy.”
Ivar’s three children from his first marriage to Penny – Ella, Alexandra and Louise – come to stay regularly, and his former wife has become a frequent visitor.
Modern living
Ivar, 62 – who was the first member of the extended British royal family to come out as gay – and James, 63, married in 2018 and moved from Bridwell Park into the cottage in September 2024, renting it from a neighbour, although they now plan to purchase it. The property has retained its traditional structure and features including a fireplace, but there are plenty of modern touches.
“The stone floors have underfloor heating, which is absolutely fabulous,” a jovial Ivar tells us. “And it’s very high-tech: it’s got electric light switches with different zones and all that sort of stuff.
“We also have a kitchen-dining room. I like cooking, so if you’re having a dinner party you feel included, whereas in our old house, everybody would be in the drawing room and you’d be stuck in the kitchen.”
© Peter FludeHome of their own
Ivar bought Bridwell Park, which has more than 13,000sq ft of living space and is set in a 118-acre estate, in 1998. He decided to sell the property last year when it became too overwhelming to run. The sale meant that he and James could finally create a home of their own.
“As an additional spouse, moving into the marital home of your husband and having to accept all the decorations that Penny and I had put in the house was hard,” Ivar says.
“Bridwell was my home and my decor, and this time, it’s a combination of both of ours. But principally mine,” he laughs. “I take the lead with the decor and James is happy for me to do that. He will make some suggestions, which I will turn down straight away.”
© Peter FludeAmicable divorce
Relations with Penny have always been good. “Divorce is never much fun at the best of times, but we have always been good friends,” Ivar says. “We didn’t have any real differences.
“Penny knew I was gay; I told her before we got married and I think she felt she could change me. Ultimately, she couldn’t, and I think she wanted something more than perhaps I could give her.
“As divorces go, it was relatively amicable. She has bought a farmhouse close by and she gets on very well with James. Whenever I can’t find him, he’s likely to be having a cup of tea with Penny – probably bitching about me.”
Relationship with Duchess Sophie and Lady Louise
The couple are also close to the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, who have been to stay at their home. Ivar is godfather to their daughter, Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor, while Prince Edward is godfather to Ivar and Penny’s daughter Ella.
“Edward and Sophie are clearly good friends, and quite often when Sophie comes down to Devon, she will stay here with us. She always used to stay at Bridwell, but she’s also stayed in the farmhouse,” Ivar says. “Then, in the winter, we go up and stay with them for weekends.
“Lady Louise and I text a lot, but that’s about it. Young people are always very busy!”
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