| Earldom Mountbatten of Burma | |
| Creation date | 28 October 1947 |
|---|---|
| Created by | George VI |
| Peerage | Peerage of the United Kingdom |
| First holder | Louis Mountbatten |
| Present holder | Patricia Knatchbull, 2nd Countess |
| Heir apparent | 8th Baron Brabourne |
| Remainder to | the 1st Earl's heirs male of the body lawfully begotten; the 1st Earl's daughters and heirs male of their bodies lawfully begotten |
| Subsidiary titles | Viscount Mountbatten of Burma; Baron Romsey |
The title Earl Mountbatten of Burma was created in the Peerage of the United Kingdom in 1947 for Rear Admiral Lord Louis Mountbatten, 1st Viscount Mountbatten of Burma, the last Viceroy of India.
The letters patent creating the title are rare in that they specified a remainder allowing the title to descend failing heirs male,
...to his eldest daughter Patricia Edwina Victoria, Baroness Brabourne, by the name, style and title of Baroness Romsey, of Romsey in the County of Southampton and the heirs male of her body lawfully begotten; and in -default of such issue to every other daughter lawfully begotten of the said Louis Francis Albert Victor Nicholas, Viscount Mountbatten of Burma, successively in order of seniority of age and priority of birth and to the heirs male of their bodies lawfully begotten...
As a result Lord Mountbatten of Burma's eldest daughter Patricia succeeded as The Countess Mountbatten of Burma upon the former's death. Should the legitimate male line of descent of the 2nd Countess Mountbatten of Burma go extinct, the title will be inherited by her sister, Lady Pamela Hicks, and her legitimate heirs male. Should the legitimate male line of both sisters go extinct, the titles will become extinct.
The subsidiary titles of the Earldom are: Viscount Mountbatten of Burma, of Romsey in the County of Southampton (created 1946), and Baron Romsey, of Romsey in the County of Southampton (1947). Both of these titles, in the Peerage of the United Kingdom, have the same special remainder as the Earldom.
Lord Romsey was the courtesy title by which Lady Mountbatten of Burma's eldest son and heir was known until he succeeded his father as 8th Lord Brabourne.
The family seat is Newhouse, near Ashford, Kent.