This article is about the first marquess of Milford Haven. For his son, see Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma.
Admiral of the Fleet Louis Alexander Mountbatten, 1st Marquess of Milford Haven , GCB, GCVO, KCMG, PC (24 May 1854 – 11 September 1921), formerly Prince Louis Alexander of Battenberg , was a German prince related to the British Royal Family. After a career in the United Kingdom's Royal Navy lasting over forty years, in 1912 he was appointed First Sea Lord, the senior uniformed officer in the British naval staff. He took steps to ready the British fleet for combat as World War I began, but his background as a German prince forced his retirement at the start of the war when anti-German feeling was running high.
Queen Victoria and her son Edward VII, when Prince of Wales, occasionally intervened in his career—the Queen thought that there was "a belief that the Admiralty are afraid of promoting Officers who are Princes on account of the radical attacks of low papers and scurrilous ones". However, Louis welcomed battle assignments that provided opportunities for him to acquire the skills of war and to demonstrate to his superiors that he was serious about his naval career. Posts on royal yachts and tours arranged by the Queen and Edward actually impeded his progress, as his promotions were perceived as royal favours rather than deserved.
He married a granddaughter of Queen Victoria, and was the father of Admiral of the Fleet Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma, who also served as First Sea Lord from 1954 to 1959. Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, consort of Queen Elizabeth II, is his grandson.
Early life
Louis was born in Graz, Austria, the eldest son of Prince Alexander of Hesse and by Rhine by his morganatic marriage to Countess Julia von Hauke. Denied his father's dynastic rights and rank in Hesse, from birth he acquired the style of His Illustrious Highness and the title of count conferred upon his mother at the time of her marriage. On 26 December 1858, he automatically became His Serene Highness Prince Louis of Battenberg when his mother was elevated to Princess of Battenberg with the style of Serene Highness by decree of her husband's brother, Louis III, Grand Duke of Hesse.
Shortly after Louis's birth, his father was stationed with the Austro-Hungarian Army of occupation in Northern Italy during the Second Italian War of Independence, and Louis's early years were spent either there or at Prince Alexander's two houses in Hesse, the castle of Heiligenberg in Jugenheim and the Alexander Palace in Darmstadt. His mother spoke French to him but he had an English governess, and as a consequence grew up trilingual.
Amongst the visitors entertained at Heiligenberg were Prince Alexander's relations, the Russian Imperial family, and his cousin, Prince Louis of Hesse.
Influenced by his cousin's wife, Princess Alice, a daughter of Queen Victoria, and by Prince Alfred, another of Queen Victoria's children, Battenberg joined the Royal Navy on 3 October 1868 and thus became a naturalised British subject, at the age of fourteen. He failed the routine medical examination by Dr Buckle, of HMS Britannia , and subsequently two other medical officers also rejected him. He was therefore admitted by the Board of Admiralty of the day without the production of the medical certificate, which was contrary to the usual regulation. He was enlisted as a naval cadet aboard HMS Victory , Nelson's old flagship.
In January of the following year, the Prince and Princess of Wales cruised the Mediterranean and Black Seas in the frigate HMS Ariadne , and the Prince of Wales requested that Louis be appointed to the vessel, before his training was complete. As part of the same tour, Louis also accompanied them on a visit to Egypt, where they visited the construction site of the Suez canal. As was traditional, the Khedive bestowed honours on the party and Louis received the Medjidie (Fourth Class). In April, he received the Osmanie (Fourth Class) from the Ottoman Sultan.
Early naval career
Louis returned to Britain in May 1869. In June he joined HMS Royal Alfred , the flagship of the North America and West Indies station, becoming a midshipman in October. From June to September 1870 he took leave in Germany, coinciding with the Franco-Prussian war, but he spent the next three-and-a-half years in the Americas, where his tour of duty served to make up for the training he had missed while posted with the Prince of Wales on the Ariadne . Returning to Europe in early 1874, he was posted to the shore establishment HMS Excellent , and passed the Sub-Lieutenant's examinations—gaining the best marks ever recorded at seamanship and joint best-ever at gunnery.
In 1875, again at the invitation of the Prince of Wales, he joined HMS Serapis , which conducted the Prince on an official tour of India, 1875–76. Louis sketched some of the events of the tour and his drawings were published in the Illustrated London News. The Prince asked Louis to stay with him at Marlborough House for the summer of 1876, but wishing to gain further experience at sea, Louis instead accepted an offer to join Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh, as a lieutenant onboard the HMS Sultan . In addition to acting as the Duke's equerry, Louis continued his naval duties. He did not enjoy the position, as the Duke was rather touchy and Louis's cabin was infested with rats, one of which he caught with his bare hands as it ran across his chest as he lay in bed. The Sultan toured the Mediterranean from July 1876.
In late February–early March 1878, Louis was still serving on the Sultan as it lay in the Bosphorus during the Russo-Turkish war. He was criticized for visiting his brother, Prince Alexander, who was serving with the Russian forces, but an investigation cleared both Louis and Alexander, as well as Prince Alfred, of any wrongdoing. For the next two years Louis served on HMS Agincourt and on the Royal Yacht, HMY Osborne , but in October 1879 he refused further service on the Royal Yacht, saying it was damaging his professional career, and requested half-pay until he could be given an active duty. On 17 February 1880 he, his father and Tsar Alexander II witnessed an explosion at the Winter Palace when Stephen Chalturin unsuccessfully attempted to assassinate the Tsar with dynamite beneath the great dining room.
On 24 August 1880, Louis was posted to HMS Inconstant , the flag-ship of the Flying Squadron, which included HMS Bacchante on which Princes Albert Victor and George were serving. The ship sailed to South America, South Africa, Australia, Fiji, Japan, China, Hong Kong, Singapore and the Dutch East Indies, before returning to South Africa in April 1882. Seven months after Louis left Britain on the voyage, actress Lillie Langtry allegedly bore him an illegitimate daughter, Jeanne Marie. Langtry was also a one-time mistress of the Prince of Wales. Jeanne Marie's parentage was never completely verified, but Louis made a financial settlement nonetheless.
From South Africa the Inconstant sailed to St Helena, and the Cape Verde Islands, where the squadron received orders to proceed to Gibraltar, and from there to Malta and Egypt to take part in the Egyptian intervention. On 11 July 1882, Alexandria was bombarded and in the next two weeks Louis served in the Flying Squadron delivering shells and ammunition to the battle fleet, and then as a guard to the Khedive at Ras Al Teen Palace. He was decorated with the Egypt War Medal by Queen Victoria personally.
In November 1882, he left the Inconstant , spent Christmas in Darmstadt, and in March the following year visited his younger brother, Prince Alexander, in Bulgaria. Alexander had been made Sovereign Prince of Bulgaria in 1879 with the approval of Europe's Great Powers. Louis accompanied his brother on a state visit to Turkey, and then on a tour of Cyprus and the Holy Land with the Turkish navy, during which Louis was appalled at the lack of seamanship—the Turkish captains were unable to navigate and had to hug the coast so as not to get lost; when they did leave the coast they became so disoriented that they were unable to steer for Jaffa. On its return journey the ship on which they had travelled ran aground.
Marriage and family
In September 1883, Queen Victoria appointed him to her yacht, HMY Victoria and Albert . On 30 April 1884 in the presence of the Queen, Prince Louis married her granddaughter, Princess Victoria of Hesse and by Rhine at Darmstadt. His wife was the eldest daughter of Queen Victoria's second daughter Princess Alice by Louis IV, Grand Duke of Hesse. Through the Hesse family, Prince and Princess Louis of Battenberg were first cousins once removed. They had known each other since childhood, and invariably spoke English to each other. As wedding presents Louis received the British Order of the Bath and the Star and Chain of the Hessian Order of Louis.
Louis and Victoria had four children:
One of Louis's younger brothers, Prince Henry of Battenberg, married Princess Beatrice, the youngest child of Queen Victoria, and took
A retirement guest book plate is the perfect retirement party idea
Are you looking for the perfect retirement party idea? Look no further than these memorable retirement guest book plates! You have the entire office, friends and family together to ...
Retirement Party Ideas
Retirement Party Ideas, Event Planning and Party Supplies at ReasonToParty.com ... picture of the Retiree on an easel and hang a set up a guest Sign in Table with a guest book.
Adesso Albums: Original Instant Photo Guest Books
... Guest Book Photo Album, Employment Anniversary Party Other Special Occasions: Graduation Guest Book Back To School Bar Mitzvah Guest Book Photo Album Retirement Guest Book
Adesso Photo Guest Books: Baptism, Graduation, Retirement or Any ...
Whether it's a baby baptism, bar mitzvah, graduation, engagement, office or retirement party, you can create your own photo album guest book filled with pictures and handwritten ...
Retirement Party Games
Retirement Party Games Find Retirement Party Games ... roaming about, consider playing the Retirement Party Game Darts. Usually, your guest ... Kids, Go Fishin, Play Golf, Read Book ...
Retirement Party Planning. Planning a Great Retirement Party
Sign-In Books • Bottle Labels • Centerpieces ... This kind of feeling deserves a great retirement party! ... that you hang a fabulous "Happy Retirement" banner that the guest of ...
retirement themes, retirement party theme
Retirement Themes: If you know someone who's having a milestone retirement celebration, these signature platters are without a doubt a fabulous keepsake gift!
Guest Books and Pens - Wedding ...
Retirement ... Ivory Silk Wedding Guest Book ... ©2009 Party America
PictureThisAlbums: Instant Photo Guest Books for Any Special Occasion
Whether it's a retirement or office party, bar / bat mitzvah, graduation or family reunion, Instant Photo Guest Books can be enjoyed in an instant and make party memories last ...
Retirement Party Planning, Retirement Gifts, Retirement Party
Great retirement gifts One idea often overlooked or short-changed in retirement party planning is the guest book. Don't have the guest book at the entrance to the party.