1 DEC 2023
A tribute & memorial website to honour​ - Lord Louis MOUNTBATTEN, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma
25 JUN 2016
KNATCHBULL/HOOPER WEDDING
The Hon. Alexandra Knatchbull & Mr Thomas Hooper get married
The society wedding of the year took place on 25th June 2016 at Romsey Abbey, Hampshire when The Hon. Alexandra Knatchbull (b.1982), eldest daughter of Norton, 8th Lord Brabourne (b.1947) & Penelope, Lady Brabourne (b.1953) married her fiancé - Mr Thomas Hooper (b.1979), son of Peter Huntly Hooper (b.1950) and Patricia M. 'Tiggy' Bucknill. Alexandra and Thomas met while working together at consultancy firm FTI Consulting, where she is a director, and dated for several years before their marriage. Thomas is also the founder and CEO of Third Space Learning.
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The bride - The Hon. Alexandra Knatchbull
with Prince Charles, The Prince of Wales
(who gave Miss Knatchbull away instead of her father)
arriving at Romsey Abbey for her wedding
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The bride - The Hon. Alexandra Knatchbull, was dressed in an ivory satin gown (designed by Inge Sprawson) with lace embroidery and capped sleeves, was walked down the aisle by Prince Charles, The Prince of Wales (b.1948), who took the place of her father due to an undisclosed "illness". However, it was rumoured that the real reason for the unusual substitution was because Alexandra was unhappy with her father after he walked out on his wife and children in 2010 to live in The Bahamas with Eugenie 'Jeannie', Lady Nuttall (née McWeeney) (b.1952), the widow of businessman and tax exile - Major Sir Nicholas Nuttall, Bt. (1933-2007).
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The guest of honour at the wedding of
The Hon. Alexandra Knatchbull & Mr Thomas Hooper -
Queen Elizabeth II, accompanied by
Prince Philip, 1st Duke of Edinburgh
arriving at Romsey Abbey
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ABOVE: the crowds gathered outside
Romsey Abbey, Hampshire
LEFT: The Hon. Alexandra Knatchbull
arriving at Romsey Abbey
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ABOVE: The groom - Thomas Hooper
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BELOW: The parents of the bride:
Norton, 8th Lord Brabourne
& Penny, Lady Brabourne
arriving at Romsey Abbey
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In a rare display of public unity, Alexandra's parents - Norton & Penelope (Lord & Lady Brabourne), arrived at the wedding together on the day which would have been the 30th birthday of their youngest child - Leonora, who died in 1991 aged just 5yrs old. Coincidentally, the date was also the anniversary of Mountbatten's birth in 1900. Like her mother and grandmother, Alexandra wore The Mountbatten Star Tiara at her wedding. The tiara was given to Mountbatten for his wedding to Edwina in 1922, by his mother Victoria, The Marchioness of Milford Haven, formerly Princess Victoria of Hesse & By the Rhine (1863-1950).
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The Mountbatten Star Tiara -
worn by four generations of Mountbatten brides
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The Hon. Alexandra Knatchbull
with Prince Charles, The Prince of Wales
arriving at Romsey Abbey
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A short film by Romsey's Daily Echo Newspaper
covering the wedding of The Hon. Alexandra Knatchbull
& Thomas Hooper at Romsey Abbey
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King Constantine II, the former King of The Hellenes (Greece)
accompanied by his wife Queen Anne Marie
arriving at Romsey Abbey
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Queen Sofía of Spain
(the sister of King Constantine II)
arriving at Romsey Abbey
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During the wedding service, which was conducted by The Rev. Canon Tim Sledge, Vicar of Romsey, the congregation in Romsey Abbey were entertained by The Bach Choir, conducted by Philip Scriven (b.1970) who performed several pieces including 'The Hallelujah Chorus' from 'Messiah', by George Frideric Handel (1685-1759).
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Princess Alexandra,
The Hon. Lady Ogilvy
arriving at Romsey Abbey
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ABOVE: Patricia,
2nd Countess Mountbatten
of Burma
(the bride's grandmother)
arriving at Romsey Abbey
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RIGHT: The newlyweds
Mr & Mrs Thomas Hooper
sharing a kiss following
their wedding
at Romsey Abbey
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BELOW: Two of the bridesmaids
leaving Romsey Abbey
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ABOVE:
The Hon. Nicholas Knatchbull
(the brother of the bride who since 2017 is officially
'Lord Brabourne'
but he does not use
the courtesy title)
arriving at Romsey Abbey.
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RIGHT: The newlyweds
Mr & Mrs Thomas Hooper
following their wedding
at Romsey Abbey
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In the congregation was Queen Elizabeth II (1926(1952- ), who was accompanied by Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh (b.1921), god-father to the father of the bride. Also present were many British and European aristocrats and royalty including - Princess Anne, The Princess Royal (b.1950); Princess Alexandra, The Hon. Lady Ogilvy (b.1936); Queen Sofia of Spain (b.1938), the wife of King Juan Carlos I of Spain (b.1938); Prince Hassan bin Talal of Jordan (b.1947), the uncle of King Abdullah II of Jordan (b.1962), who was accompanied by his wife - Princess Sarvath al-Hassan (b.1947); Princess Irene of Greece & Denmark (b.1942), the daughter of King Paul I of the Hellenes (1901-1964); King Constantine II of The Hellenes (b.1940), who was accompanied by his wife - Queen Anne-Marie (b.1946); Prince Philipp, The Prince of Hohenlohe-Langenburg (b.1970), who was accompanied by his wife - Princess Saskia (b.1973); Princess Florence 'Florrie' von Preußen (b.1983), the great-great-granddaughter of Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany (1859-1941), who was accompanied by her husband - The Hon. James Tollemache (b.1980), the son of Timothy, 5th Lord Tollemache (b.1939).
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