On this date in 1979, the provisional IRA blew up a small boat off the coast of Ireland that was owned by Lord Louis Mountbatten, cousin or something or other of the Queen. I remember it very clearly and, interestingly to me at least, despite the fact that I was just ten years old and despite the time that’s lapsed, my views haven’t much changed.
Even at the time, I remember having formed the idea that Lord Mountbatten represented everything wrong about Britain and its colonial past. He was born into supreme privilege and despite having no recognisable skills held a series of lofty positions, including being the last Viceroy of India. Leaving aside the fact that Viceroy is a silly concept and Britain had no right to occupy India or anywhere else in the first place, surely such an important position ought to have been filled by somebody with some relevant skills, rather than simply being closely linked to the royal family. I have read a number of analyses of the latter days of British rule of India and in particular the manner in which Britain withdrew in an unorganised fashion; leading to tens of thousands of avoidable deaths. No historian I have read had much good to say about him. He must have stood on many people of more lowly origin but incalculably greater talent in his allegedly distinguished career.
He had a castle in Ireland, apparently some relic of British imperial rule there too. Every single aspect about him that I have ever heard of says uniformly “upper class twit”. I have much respect for the institution of constitutional monarchy and great respect for the Queen as our head of state but, paradoxically I’ll accept, I have a considerable loathing for power that comes from inherited privilege. This is especially so when it’s twinned with natural arrogance.
One of the reassuring things about the British royal family is how essentially middle class they are in their values and lifestyles, despite the opulence that surrounds them. They are, however, surrounded by a ring of toffs who I to this day hold in considerable contempt. Many of said toffs are relics of defunct foreign royalty; deposed in their own country for being generally objectionable. Lord Mountbatten’s real name was Von Battenburg. Go figure. Prince Phillip (unloved husband of our Queen) is truly Prince Phillip of Greece. Prince Phillip is Louis Mountbatten’s nephew. Go figure again.
Now not saying that he deserved to die, but he did mouth off an awful lot and frankly if anybody is ever a legitimate target (big “if”), it was him and everything he stood for. At the time, I distinctly remember saying “no loss” or words to that effect, to the considerable surprise of my family. Having learned more about the man since, I’m afraid my sentiments remain entirely the same.
I must have been a very odd ten year old.
3 comments:
HM the Queen rules dei gratia so it makes perfect sense that her family members, even distant ones, would be more than capable of governing other countries.
When I was kid there was a joke that went as follows :
Q: How d'ya know Lord Mountbatten had dandruf?
A: They found his head and shoulders on the beach.
I never said it wasn't in bad taste.
Ros, I'd not thought of the fact that "HMQ" rules dei gratia. Your point therefore makes considerable sense. Perhaps we should employ the underutilised royal family more in this way. Perhaps we could put Prince Phillip in charge of Grenada, Prince Edward in charge of minor colonies, like New Zealand? I'm sure the noble locals would all appreciate such a move.
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