Across nearly 1000 years of royal history, there have been many famous royals who have played a key role in growing the family's popularity and influence.
While Queen Victoria would certainly top this list as a key player thanks to her determination to have her children and grandchildren marry into European royal families, there is another royal who should be commended for his efforts. Lord Louis Mountbatten was born as Prince Louis of Battenberg and was a grandson of Queen Victoria. He is widely credited as being a 'secret weapon' for the Royal Family and served as a mentor for his godson, King Charles III.
Louis Mountbatten's memory has been honoured by several members of his family. King Charles gave his first son 'Louis' as a middle name and Prince William carried on the tradition by using it as Prince George's third name and as his youngest son's first name.
Prince Louis Francis Albert Victor Nicholas was born at Frogmore House on the Windsor Estate on June 25, 1900 to Prince Louis of Battenberg and Princess Victoria of Hesse and by Rhine.
He had three elder siblings, Alice, Louise and George. Alice became Princess Andrew of Greece and Denmark and was the mother of the late Duke of Edinburgh. Louise went on to become the Queen of Sweden and George succeeded his father as 2nd Marquess of Milford Haven.
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He was known as Prince Louis of Battenberg until the outbreak of World War One. After King George V announced that he was changing the Royal Family's surname from Saxe-Coburg and Gotha to Windsor, his German relatives did the same and adopted more British-sounding names. The Battenberg family chose 'Mountbatten' as their new last name.
Having been educated at Royal Naval College in Osborne on the Isle of Wight, Louis embarked on a career in the Royal Navy which would last his entire life.
He would eventually take on vital roles such as First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral of the Fleet and Chief of the Defence Staff.
Lord Louis married heiress Edwina Ashley in 1922 and the couple had two daughters, Patricia Knatchbull, 2nd Countess of Burma and Lady Pamela Hicks.
The couple were famously unfaithful to one another, with Louis Mountbatten even recalling: "Edwina and I spent all our married lives getting into other people's beds."
Among his countless awards and recognitions, one of the most important roles Louis Mountbatten played was getting his nephew, The Duke of Edinburgh (then Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark) to meet King George VI's daughter, Princess Elizabeth.
Lord Louis also served as a mentor to his godson, Charles, and referred to him as his "honorary grandson".
On August 27, 1979, Lord Mountbatten was with his family at Classiebawn Castle in Northern Ireland and went out on a trip to go lobster potting in the harbour at Mullaghmore.
The IRA had attached a radio-controlled bomb to his boat the night before and detonated it when he was aboard with several others, including his twin grandsons, Nicholas and Timothy Knatchbull.
Lord Mountbatten, Nicholas Knatchbull, Lady Brabourne and a young boy named Paul Maxwell were all killed in the explosion. Louis Mountbatten's funeral was held at Westminster Abbey on September 5 and saw all the royals gather to pay tribute.
In honour of his memory, King Charles made one of Prince William's middle names 'Louis'. This tradition was carried on by The Prince and Princess of Wales as they named their first son, George Alexander Louis.
The couple also named their youngest son Louis to keep in with this trend and as a sweet nod to Prince Charles who was incredibly close with Lord Mountbatten.
Other royals whose names include a touching link to Louis Mountbatten include Prince Edward, Princess Anne, Lady Louise Windsor and a number of extended members of the Royal Family.
