King Charles’ royal relative to star on The Traitors as show returns to Scotland

The upcoming series of The Traitors US is set to feature a Royal contestant for the first time, with Lord Ivar Mountbatten officially joining the star-studded cast. The 61 year old Royal has several connections to the monarchy, including being second cousins with King Charles.

Not only does Ivar have ties with the king, but he also shares a close relationship with Prince Edward and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh who are godparents to his daughters. In return, Ivar is the proud godfather to their daughter, Lady Louise Windsor.

Interestingly, Ivar made headlines in 2016 when he publicly came out as gay. He then became the first member of the Royal family to have a same-sex wedding when he married his now-husband James Coyle in 2018.

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Before coming out, Ivar was married to Penelope Anne Vere Thompson for 17 years. They divorced in 2011 but remained close friends, so much so that she walked him down the aisle at his wedding to James!

Beyond his familial ties, Ivar considered the late Prince Philip as a father figure following the death of his own father in April 1970. He has previously spoken about how much support the late Duke of Edinburgh provided him after his father’s passing, reports the Mirror.

Lord Ivar shared with The Telegraph: “Prince Philip, then 49, and Uncle Dickie stepped up and supported my mother, who’d been left a widow aged just 31. She was hugely grateful to the Duke for keeping an eye on her and for being a sort of father figure to us, her two boys.”

He further revealed his personal experiences with Prince Philip, saying: “In later years, I would sit with him and ask endless questions about my father. It was wonderful to have someone who could tell me everything about him.”

Additionally, he expressed his admiration for the Duke’s character: “Prince Philip was a wonderful listener; you could tell him anything as long as you were being honest and forthright. He was happy to listen to your thoughts. But if he had some advice he thought you ought to hear, he’d give it to you.”

Lord Ivar is among the 21 celebrities set to appear in The Traitors US, the American adaptation of the hit BBC series filmed at Ardross Castle, around 25 miles north of Inverness. Unlike its UK version hosted by Claudia Winkleman, the US show will be presented by Alan Cumming and features famous faces instead of the general public.

The upcoming series boasts a glittering lineup including Sam Asghari, known for his marriage to Britney Spears, Dylan Efron, brother of actor Zac Efron, personalities from four different Real Housewives franchises, Ru Paul’s Drag Race star Bob the Drag Queen, Vanderpump Rules’ Tom Sandoval, and three ex-Survivor competitors, among others.