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​The Royal Family Will Have Its First Ever Same-Sex Marriage This Summer

​The Royal Family Will Have Its First Ever Same-Sex Marriage This Summer

His ex-wife will be the one walking her ex-husband down the aisle

Jess Hardiman

Jess Hardiman

We all remember May's historic wedding between Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, who became the first mixed-race woman to marry into the British royal fam. We had Bishop Michael Curry stealing the show with his next level speech, a gospel choir singing 'Stand By Me' and Hazza's ex-girlfriend showing up. It was great.

Well, now another royal is making history for all the right reasons, as the royal family welcomes its first same-sex marriage this summer.

Lord Mountbatten - who is a cousin of the Queen (a third cousin once removed, if we're being technical) - will marry partner James Coyle, after coming out two years ago and becoming the first member of the royal family to do so.

He was married to Lady Penny Mountbatten, with whom he has three daughters.

Penny told the Daily Mail that she will be the one walking her ex-husband down the aisle, explaining: "It was the girls' idea."

She added: "It makes me feel quite emotional. I'm really very touched."

Ivar with ex-wife Penny.
PA

In the same interview, Ivar added that lifelong pal Prince Edward and his missus Sophie are 'really excited' for them.

"Sadly they can't come to the wedding. Their diaries are arranged months in advance and they're not around, but they adore James. Everyone adores him," he said.

Mountbatten came out publicly in a 2016 interview with the Mail on Sunday.

"I am a lot happier now, though I am still not 100% comfortable with being gay," he said.

"Being a Mountbatten was never the problem, it was the generation into which I was born. When I was growing up, it was known as 'the love that dare not speak its name', but what's amazing now is how far we have all come in terms of acceptance."

"Coming out is such a funny phrase but it's what I suppose I did in a rather roundabout way, emerging to a place I'm happy to be. I have struggled with my sexuality and in some ways I still do; it has been a real journey to reach this point."

He added: "Simply talking about it in public is a huge step for me. Up to this point, I have had a heterosexual lifestyle, so living with a man is really new. One step at a time."

The Queen herself has not yet addressed her cousin's wedding publicly. However, she has previously commented on LGBT rights, saying at a speech at he State Opening of Parliament in 2017: "My government will make further progress to tackle the gender pay gap and discrimination against people on the basis of their race, faith, gender, disability, or sexual orientation."

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: UK News, News, Royal Wedding, Royal Family, Meghan Markle