My Life as a Mountbatten: A Daughter's Reflections on Empire

D. W. Rowley: She obviously had a lot of baggage from her childhood that she needed to get off her chest. Being the least favored daughter of two very strange and sexually perverted people had to be hard. The best part of her story gave me insight into India at the time of the transition from British rule to Independency and Partitian. Particularly interesting to learn about the personalities involved in that very difficult and bloody period.

United States on Sep 11, 2023

Zak: My review is going to be biased so I am starting with a disclosure. I belong to a Hindu family originally from Pakistan. My mother was fortunate to make it to India though not all of my ancestors were that fortunate. I was taught in history lessons about how Pandit Nehru and Mahatma Gandhi were responsible for saving millions of Hindus and Muslims during those chaotic times. The contributions of the Mountbatten family were lost with the passage of time. I am thankful to Lady Pamela for presenting an honest picture of how the Indian and British leaders had worked together in these trying times.

First several chapters of the book chronicled the family history of the Mountbatten family and the early life of Lady Pamela. Lady Pamela's upbringing made Lady Mary Crawley (Downton Abbey) look like the daughter of a poor country Esquire (I have no intention of mocking Lady Pamela even though that is how it sounds). This history is critical in appreciating the significance of the actions Lord Louis and Edwina Mountbatten took in India and Pakistan. They were born into a life of luxury and had no reason to take up the thankless task of being India's last Governor General. They did not...

United States on Mar 23, 2022

Boingboing: 'Daughter of Empire: Life as a Mountbatten' covers Pamela Hicks' life from childhood through to her marriage and it's an extraordinary life. When you're related to most of the royal families of Europe - and a cousin to both the current Queen and Prince Phillip - it's clear that life's going to throw opportunities your way that wouldn't be accessible to the hoi polloi. Add in that her parents - Louis and Edwina Mountbatten - were two of the most glamorous and high profile people of their era and it's almost guaranteed that young Pamela won't be sitting at home knitting and walking the dogs.

I bought it mostly because of my fascination with her parents and their role in the Partition and Independence of India/Pakistan/Bangladesh. However, there are other fascinating topics covered - from being 'evacuated' to the USA during the war to stay with fabulously wealthy and famous families - and being one of the attendants at the Coronation of QE2 and working as one of her closest 'ladies in waiting'. Whilst the rest of us would probably be weak kneed at the idea of trotting around the world with the Queen, to Hicks it's just a case of working with 'cousin Lilibet'.

If you're...

United Kingdom on Dec 30, 2018

Sabba Polly: I ordered this book for my wife and I am glad to say that she is enjoying it very much. From what she says, it is a fascinating look into another world, that has now gone forever. A world of where, because of the accident of one's birth, one can have without question, behave without explanation, protected by the impenetrable walls of privilege. I should say at this point that my wife is not of these shores and takes rather a sceptical view of a Royal Family in it's rather broader sense. She is a royalist by adoption! The Mountbattens were a remarkable family, they left their mark on the history of the twentieth century. Perhaps they even manipulated it at times. Read this book, and make your judgment.

United Kingdom on Jul 23, 2017

honoriaglossop: In questo libro Pamela Hicks rievoca la sua infanzia e giovinezza,particolari e privilegiate in quanto l'autrice è la figlia di Lord Louis Mountbatten,ultimo vicerè dell'India nonchè zio del duca Filippo di Edimburgo,marito della regina Elisabetta,e di Lady Edwina,una delle più ricche ereditiere inglesi degli anni '20.Sono ricordi che si leggono con piacere e curiosità perchè rievocano un mondo che non esiste più e svelano l'eccentricità tipica della nobiltà britannica,sia come dato saliente della personalità che come modo di intendere e vivere la vita.Il tono della narrazione è contenuto,ma disteso,mai freddo e a tratti molto divertente,ci sono pagine che non sfigurerebbero in un romanzo di P.G.Wodehouse.Molto interessanti i capitoli dedicati all'India che Lady Pamela e i suoi consideravano come una seconda patria e dai quali traspare l'amore che essi nutrivano per questo paese.L'autrice descrive vividamente il Mahatma Gandhi e l'affascinante figura di Jahawaral Nehru,padre di Indira Gandhi e poi ci racconta di una giovanissima Elisabetta II della quale Lady Pamela è stata dama di compagnia.E' un peccato che le memorie non proseguano dopo il matrimonio con il designer...

Italy on Jul 22, 2013

Reading Rocks: Pamela (Mountbatten) Hicks is the daughter of Lord Louis Mountbatten and Edwina Cassel. Louis's parents were Princess Victoria and Prince Louis of Battenberg. Princess Victoria's sisters were Alexandra (the last Tsarina of Russia); Elizabeth (wife of Duke Sergei who was uncle to Nicholas II); and Irene (wife of Prince Heinrich of Prussia who was a brother of the war-monger Kaiser William). Princess Victoria also had a brother, Ernie. Lord Mountbatten's sister was Princess Alice of Greece whose son is Philip Duke of Edinburgh, husband of the current queen, Elizabeth II. Edwina's family, the Cassels, were extremely wealthy. This kind of explains why Louis and Edwina got married. He had a rich family background and she just had plenty of riches. This book is a quick and very interesting read. The author writes in a factual style with minimal analysis and light commentary. There are several pages of photographs in this book both from their family album and one or two "official" photos. As a cousin of the current queen, I suspect that she kept out much of the really "juicy" stuff so if that is one's expectation, it will not be met. However, she does provide wonderful and fascinating...

United States on Jul 20, 2013

gammyjill: Lady Pamela Hicks is the daughter of Lord Louis Mountbatten and his wife, Edwina. She is cousin to both Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip. She is the widow of famed designer David Hicks and the mother of three. As the result of her birth and marriage, she has witnessed first hand some of the most important events in mid-20th century English history. Her new book, "Daughter of Empire", is a chronicle of the first 30 or so years of her life.

Lady Pamela has written about her life - recounting events - as if from a remove. I have the feeling that part of that is natural reserve, but she does not reflect on much that's happened. As a reader, it takes a bit of getting used to, but its also nice not to have to endure an author's gushy self-analysis. Things happened, relationships came and went, and as a child - the younger of two daughters of the Mountbattens - Pamela lived in a world of parents having lovers who were welcomed as part of the nuclear family. Her father went his way - in his naval career - and her mother traveled a lot with her boyfriend, sending Pamela and Patricia lovely missives from wherever she was in the world. The 1930's passed this way for Pamela, who was...

United Kingdom on Jan 19, 2013

AlineDobbie: Pamela Hicks (Mountbatten) writes well as if she is talking to you. I was born in India just before Independence and my parents were caught up in all that she became an observer of through accompanying her parents when they went out as Viceroy and Vicereine and her father Earl Mountbatten handed India its nationhood. Indeed my uncle actually served as special security as a chief of police for her mother Edwina. Lady Mountbatten achieved greatly in India; this complex woman who had experienced sadness and rejection in childhood became a sort of hedonistic curious socialite...but when the chips were down and War approached she morphed into an efficient hard working volunteer of great worth at a high level. She took that same energy with her to India and with a special touch changed frought situations and was greatly loved. Pamela herself throws a lovely light on HM The Queen and her cousin Prince Philip in their early married life and then she was with them at the time of the Queen's accession in Africa. She then accompanied them on the great Commonwealth tour of 1953/54. For anyone growing up in the 1950s and 1960s this book is a fascination. I well recall the complete euphoria...

United Kingdom on Dec 30, 2012