NEWSA Royal First! Queen Elizabeth’s Cousin Ivar Will Marry His Partner James This Summer
June 16 2018, Published 7:25 p.m. ET
Queen Elizabeth’s cousin, Lord Ivar Mountbatten, will wed his partner James Coyle this summer, marking the Royal Family’s first ever gay marriage!
The upcoming nuptials will take place at a private chapel on Lord Ivar’s country estate in Devon, England this summer.
Ivar came out in 2016, five years after his divorce from ex-wife Penelope Anne Vere Thompson. The former couple share three children with each other: 22-year-old Ella, 20-year-old Alexandra and 15-year-old Louise.
In a rather surprising turn of events, Penelope (who goes by the nickname Penny), will be the one to give her ex-husband away. It’s an idea that their three daughters actually came up with! "It makes me feel quite emotional. I’m really very touched,” she said.
“Ivar is so much more relaxed these days. He’s so much kinder,” she reportedly shared. “He probably wasn’t even aware that by keeping his sexuality a secret it was really quite tormenting him. Now it’s ‘out,’ he’s a completely different person. Everybody says they’ve never seen him happier.”
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His partner James said that the ceremony itself will be quite small unlike a more traditional royal wedding (such as Prince Harry & Meghan Markle’s recent one.) “It’s really just for the girls and close family and friends,” he said. Congrats to the happy couple!
What are your thoughts on the Royal Family’s first gay wedding? Sound off in the comments!
