The Queen was joined by Duke of Edinburgh as she walked into the service at Romsey Abbey in Hampshire Alexandra Knatchbull is the daughter of Lord Brabourne a close friend to Charles and the Royal Family. Also in attendance at the abbey today was Prince Anne and Alexandra’s grandmother Countess Mountbatten.
The Queen arrived at the ‘society wedding of the year’ between Mounbatten heiress Alexandra Knatchbull and her fiance Thomas Hooper today with Prince Charles giving the bride away.
Her Royal Highness was joined by the Duke of Edinburgh as she made her way into Romsey Abbey, in Hampshire, as Charles accompanied Miss Knatchbull, the daughter of his close friend Norton Knatchbull, who holds the title of Lord Brabourne, into the church.
The Queen wore a peach floral dress with a matching coat and hat as she entered the service with the Duke wearing tails and a gold waistcoat. Charles cut a smart figure as he walked the bride into the Abbey in a grey three-piece suit with a light blue shirt and tie.
Princess Anne also attended the wedding, making her way into the service after her parents and brother, wearing a pink outfit with a matching hat.
Among the family members enjoying the big day were Alexandra’s brother Nicholas, who has previously battled heroin and crack addiction, her two sisters and her wheelchair-bound grandmother Countess Mountbatten.
Her father and mother, Lady Penelope Brabourne, linked arms as they walked into the service, demonstrating a sign of strength after their marriage was rocked by Lord Bradbourne’s affair with businesswoman Jeannie McWeeny.
Among the other members of British and foreign aristocracy at the wedding included Queen Sophia of Spain, the Former monarchs of Greece, King Constantine II and his wife Queen Anne-Marie as well as Prince Hassan bin Talal of Jordan and his wife Princess Sarvath al-Hassan.
Forensic accountant Alexandra is married her entrepreneur husband after the pair enjoyed a long-term relationship, with the service led by Rev Canon Tim Sledge.
While the arrivals of the Royals in the small market town of Romsey may have turned the heads of locals, the Knatchbull family are used to the company of monarchs and enjoy close links to Buckingham Palace.
Lord Brabourne is the godson of the Duke of Edinburgh and Prince Charles was his best man, while his son Nicholas was a mentor to Prince William when the pair studied at Eton.
Lord Brabourne is also Prince William’s Godfather, while Prince Charles was Lord Mountbatten’s godson.
Lord Mountbatten was famously killed in August, 1979, IRA bombers blew up a small boat he was on in the sea off Mullaghmore, County Sligo.
The explosion also Lord Brabourne’s 14-year-old younger brother Nicholas, his paternal grandmother, the Dowager Lady Brabourne, and a local boy who was with the family. Nicholas’s twin brother Timothy, and his parents, were all injured.
