According to the author: “Photographs of the time show her looking lovingly at him (Nehru) at a Red Cross meeting. When the Mountbattens arrived in Delhi, Nehru and Edwina spent much time together. The Mountbattens first met Nehru in 1946, when he visited them in Singapore, and they remained great friends.

It is crucial to bear this in mind while reading such accounts. Much of this has to do with patriarchal attitudes that judge the choices made by independent women. Lord Mountbatten’s story cannot be told without including his influential wife, Edwina, who has been the subject of myriad rumours about her private life. It is utopian to expect them to be saints just because they have played a big part in a historical moment. Nearly all historical figures are people with limitations. It does not suggest that historical figures are always morally upright and ethically sound.

The Mountbattens: Their Lives and Loves is a fine blend of political, military, and personal history. After all, tales of love and betrayal are always subjects of special interest. Some of the stories continue to animate social conversations. Aside from being influential people of historic importance, they also evoked tremendous curiosity for their social lives, marriage, and friendships. A number of books have already been published on their lives. Fans of the The Crown will appreciate the insider details of Lord Mountbatten’s political influence during the early 20th century.The Mountbattens have been a subject of great interest both in England and in South Asia for their historic roles in shaping the region. The book gives much attention to the Mountbattenses’ rocky marriage, and to their deep devotion to each other, based on accounts from members of the royal family and their staff. Lownie shares individualizing facts about the larger-than-life Mountbattens, including Lord Mountbatten’s extensive and heralded military service, Lady Mountbatten’s laudable charity work, and the extensive extramarital affairs carried on by both.

Readers of this new biography by historian Lownie ( Stalin’s Englishman) will gain additional insight into Lord Mountbatten’s tenacity and the way he and his heiress wife Edwina (1900–60) created a family dynasty of their own. Readers might know of Lord Mountbatten (1900–79), or “Dickie,” from the Netflix series The Crown, where he’s a well-connected member of the royal family who mentors Princes Phillip and Charles and engineers their marriages.

The mountbattens