RI composite of Freddy Knatchbull and King Charles

Freddy has spoken about his royal links

reddy Knatchbull joined British reality show Made in Chelsea in 2023, where he was hailed as the show’s first *real* aristocrat, with a connection to the royal family.

Not many of us can claim to be related to the royals, but Freddy can…

 

Who is Freddy Knatchbull?

21-year-old Freddy studied Politics at Newcastle University. He is also a model, signed to Select Model London. Earlier this year, he also shared that he had signed up to the Army Reserves.

Freddy’s dad is Philip Knatchbull, former CEO of Curzon Cinemas and grandson of Lord Mountbatten.

If you’re a fan of The Crown, this name might be ringing a bell. Lord Mountbatten, or “Uncle Dickie” to the royals, featured in the first four series of the Netflix show, portrayed by Greg Wise in seasons 1 and 2 and then by Charles Dance in seasons 3 and 4.
Lord Mountbatten and Prince Charles Lord Mountbatten was reportedly a mentor to Charles (Credit: Photo by Shutterstock)

How is Freddy Knatchbull connected to the royal family?

Freddy’s great-grandfather Lord Mountbatten was a British statesman, Royal Navy officer and close relative of the British royal family.

Lord Mountbatten was the uncle of the late Prince Philip, the brother of Philip’s mother, Princess Alice of Battenberg.

He was also related to Queen Elizabeth II. Lord Mountbatten was a great-grandson of Queen Victoria and therefore a distant cousin to Queen Elizabeth II.

As Freddy so elegantly put it, in an interview with OK! magazine: “My great-grandad, Lord Mountbatten, was very ‘in’ with the royal family. He also used to holiday with the royals all the time.”

Lord Mountbatten also became a mentor figure to King Charles when he was a child. Many royal biographies have recorded that the pair referred to each other affectionately as “Honorary Grandfather” and “Honorary Grandson”.

In August 1979, Lord Mountbatten was assassinated off the coast of Mullaghmore, Ireland, in an attack by the IRA. His fishing boat, Shadow V, was blown up by a bomb that had been smuggled aboard, killing him almost instantly.
King Charles wearing a suitFreddy Knatchbull shares a close connection with the royal family (Credit: Cover Images)
Freddy also spoke about the monarchy and his relations to the royal family.

“I’ve grown up in a generation that isn’t close with the monarchy any more. But my aunts and uncles are still involved,” he told OK!.

“When I talk to my friends at uni about him [Lord Mountbatten], no one knows who he is,” he admitted. “But when I talk to my parents’ friends, they know everything about him.”

Made in Chelsea airs tonight (Monday, September 29) at 10.25pm BST on E4.