06 MAR 2024
A tribute & memorial website to honour​ - Lord Louis MOUNTBATTEN, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma
Lady Iris in her suite at The Ritz Hotel, New York, USA in 1946 - with a photographic portrait
of her aunt (Queen Victoria Eugénie 'Ena' of Spain) on the left, and behind her
a reduced copy of the 1934 portrait by Philip de Lászlo
of her mother (Irene, Marchioness of Carisbrooke)
On 5th May 1957 in Pound Ridge, New York, USA, Iris married - Michael Neely Bryan (1916-1972), the son of James Bryan and Laura Neely. He was a jazz guitarist who performed in many famous jazz bands including those of Benny Goodman (1909-1986) and Artie Shaw (1910-2004), but divorced after only two months. Iris and Michael had one child (who was Iris' ONLY child) -
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Robin Alexander Bryan, born on 20th December 1957 at Mount Sinai Hospital, New York, USA (see below right)
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Lady Iris with her newborn son Robin,
and cheetah called "Flopper"
in Pound Ridge, New York, USA
On 11th December 1965, Iris married for a third time in Toronto, Ontario, Canada - William 'Bill' Kemp (1921-1991), a radio actor/announcer, who was an alcoholic which caused his promising career to end abruptly. Kemp had starred and written for Canadian comedy duo 'Wayne & Shuster' - Johnny Wayne (1918-1990) and Frank Shuster (1916-2002). He also appeared in the 1976 crime drama film "Breaking Point" and the 1988 comedy film "Once Upon A Giant". Iris and Kemp were married in the apartment belonging to his parents. Sadly the marriage only lasted several weeks, and although separated - Iris and Kemp never divorced and legally remained married until her own death.
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ABOVE: Lady Iris in latter years
BELOW: An article in Montreal Gazette,
about Iris' third marriage in December 1965
Michael N. Bryan,
Iris' second husband
Robin Alexander Bryan
(b.1957)
Robin was born on 20 December 1957, at Mount Sinai Hospital, New York, USA, the son of The Lady Iris Mountbatten (1920-1982) by her second husband - Michael Bryan (1916-1972).
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Robin has fathered 3 children -
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Edward Curtis Houle (b.1979) - by Louise Houle in Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Faith Bryan (b.1979) - by Arizona .......... in Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Elijah Alexander Bryan (b.1995) - by Pamela Jean Foster, at Scarborough Grace Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Robin is very much a private person but is in the line of succession to the British Throne, although his illegitimate children are not. Robin currently resides in Toronto, Canada where he works as a municipal gardener.
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The urn containing the ashes of Lady Iris
in the Battenberg Chapel,
at St Mildred's Church, Whippingham
on the Isle of Wight
On 1st September 1982, Iris died, aged 62yrs - after a long illness at The Wellesley Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, having previously had cancer treatment at The Princess Margaret Hospital also in Toronto. A funeral service was subsequently held at St Paul's Anglican Church. Despite still legally being married to Kemp and being officially 'The Lady Iris Kemp' at the time of her death, she is always referred to by her maiden name of 'Mountbatten'. Iris' ashes were interred in the Battenberg Chapel at St Mildred’s Church, Whippingham on the Isle of Wight. She was finally reunited with her Battenberg/Mountbatten family in death - her last enduring wish.
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The Lady Iris Mountbatten in her last years
Iris remained in Toronto, Canada for the rest of her life, but she did occasionally return to the UK. On 23rd February 1960, Iris' father - Alexander, 1st Marquess of Carisbrooke died in his apartment at Kensington Palace, London from a cerebral haemorrhage aged 73yrs. Queen Elizabeth II (1926(1952-2022) had already announced Court Mourning upon the death of his cousin's wife - Edwina, Countess Mountbatten of Burma (1901-1960), who had died just two days earlier. Iris was given the news of her father's death when she arrived at London Airport, having flown into the UK for the funeral of Edwina. Iris also attended the Royal Ceremonial funeral of Mountbatten in September 1979 at the invitation of her cousin - Queen Elizabeth II (1926(1952-2022). She did comment to a friend that apart from The Queen, no-one seemed to recognise her or know who she was.
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