Mountbatten girl walks down aisle with Charles ...as her father looks on
AS ANY proud father knows, walking your much-loved daughter down the aisle is a tradition to be enjoyed, celebrated and cherished.
Yet when Lord Brabourne, the grandson of Earl Mountbatten of Burma, attended the society wedding of his daughter Alexandra Knatchbull to Thomas Hooper yesterday, there had been a rather high-profile substitution.
For the 33-year-old bride – looking resplendent in an elegant ivory-coloured gown with capped sleeves – had granted that honour to close family friend the Prince of Wales.
Charles accompanied her down the aisle at Romsey Abbey, the 907AD chapel on her family’s 6,000acre estate in Broadlands, Hampshire, where both he and the Queen spent part of their honeymoons.
While Alexandra’s choice raised a few eyebrows – with many suspecting her father’s ill health may have played a part in her decision – others felt the family’s recent history could go some way towards explaining why a bride from one of Britain’s most established families chose to break with tradition.
In 2010 Norton Knatchbull, the eighth Baron Brabourne, abandoned his 31-year marriage to run away to Nassau in the Bahamas with fashion designer Jeannie Nuttall. When this relationship ended in 2014 and he
‘At the time she was absolutely furious’
returned to the historic estate – where Noel Coward played the piano at weekend house parties (when the Queen and Prince Philip were staying) – he was banished from the house to live in a converted barn.
A family friend said: ‘It’s very unusual to be given away by someone else at your wedding – even if it’s the Prince of Wales. At the time Alexandra was absolutely furious with her father for leaving her mother, but of course she still wanted him at the wedding.’
What is certain, however, is that the Brabournes and the Royal Family are as close as ever.
Guests included the Queen, wearing vibrant apricot, and the Duke of Edinburgh. Princess Anne dressed in vivid pink, while Queen Sofia of Spain opted for a soft blue and cream ensemble. A touch of youthful glamour was added by Prince Harry’s ex-girlfriend, 30-year-old Florence Brudenell-Bruce.
Yesterday, there seemed to be a rapprochement between Lord Brabourne and his wife Penny, whose father began as a butcher before making a fortune as the founder of the Angus Steakhouse chain.
Appearing arm-in-arm, the couple presented a united front as they strolled towards the church.
Over the years Lady Brabourne, 63, has been a carriage-driving companion of Prince Philip, 95, with the pair competing in countless shows across the country.
But it is Lord Brabourne’s connection to the Royal Family that has cemented the families’ mutual affection. Sources say the Queen and Prince Philip have never forgotten the kindness Lord Brabourne, now 68, showed Charles when they both attended the austere Gordonstoun boarding school in Scotland.
Prince Charles was best man to Lord Brabourne when he married, and Charles chose his friend to be a godfather to his eldest son Prince William. Lord Brabourne is the godson of the Duke of Edinburgh.
Yesterday Alexandra, who is known as ‘Knatch’ to her friends, carried a simple bouquet of white roses with a dainty tiara supporting a delicate lace-edged veil.
She met her fiancé – an entrepreneur who connects specialist maths tutors in India to UK schools via Skype – through her work as a senior analyst at FTI Consulting, a global business advisory firm.
The bride, who is in the line of succession to the British throne, made history at the age of 29 by becoming the youngest person, and first woman, to be president of Romsey District Scouts – a role she took over from her father.
The couple’s chosen wedding date had a poignant resonance for both Alexandra’s family and the British Royals. Lord Mountbatten – the Duke of Edinburgh’s uncle and Lord Brabourne’s grandfather – was killed alongside Nicholas Knatchbull, Lord Brabourne’s brother, by an IRA bomb in 1979. Yesterday marked the 116th anniversary of his birth. June 25 was also the birthday of Alexandra’s sister, Leonora, who died aged five after a battle with cancer. She would have been 30 yesterday.
The wedding was a markedly happy occasion for a family who have put past difficulties behind them. Reverend Canon Tim Sledge, who conducted the service, said: ‘They’ve put a huge amount of effort, thought and care into it. It’s got that personal touch. The most important thing is that Alexandra and Thomas have the most memorable day that they possibly can.’