Penny Knatchbull a.k.a Lady Romsey, the only daughter of butcher-turned-entrepreneur Reginald Eastwood, is the wife of Norton Knatchbull, 3rd Earl of Mountbatten. She was also rumored to have an affair with Prince Philip. However, none of them ever addressed the rumors. Similarly, actress Natascha McElhone portrays the role of 'Penny Ramsey/Romsey/Rumsey' (often misspelled by fans) in Netflix's The Crown Season 5.
Netflix's The Crown, created by Peter Morgan, is a historical drama series inspired by true events and based on Stephen Frears' 2006 drama film The Queen. It dramatizes Queen Elizabeth II's life and how her personal life and the politics of the crown influence her decisions and reign. The fifth season of the show, set in the 1990s, focuses on the tension between Charles and Diana, which leads to their separation and, eventually, divorce a few years later.
The fifth season of The Crown features an entirely new cast portraying the Queen, Prince Philip, Prince Charles, Princess Diana, and the rest of the royal family and those who surround them. Likewise, Penny Knatchbull, a friend of Charles and Diana as well as Philip, is a completely new character introduced in season 5.
Penny first appears in episode 1 on vacation with Charles and Diana, along with her husband Norton, who is played by Elliot Cowan in the series. Penny has a prominent role throughout the season, but who is she and who plays her in The Crown? Continue reading to learn everything you need to know.
Previously, we touched on Ipatiev House.
Penny Knatchbull a.k.a Lady Romsey From the Crown Season 5: The Wife of 3rd Earl of Mountbatten Norton Knatchbull Was Rumored to Have an Affair With Prince Philip!
As shown in season 5 of Netflix's The Crown, Penelope Meredith Mary Knatchbull also known as Penny Knatchbull/Lady Romsey is the only daughter of butcher-turned-businessman Reginald Eastwood, and became close to the royal family through her relationship with Norton Knatchbull, 3rd Earl of Mountbatten.
Penelope was an instant hit with the royals, particularly the Queen and Prince Philip when Norton first introduced her in 1975. According to a royal insider, she was "one of the most natural young women I have ever met, outgoing but not brash or flirty."
Penny married Norton in 1979 and became the Countess Mountbatten of Burma. Norton is Prince Philip's godson and the grandson of Lord Mountbatten, Prince Philip's uncle. Currently, her husband and she live at Broadlands, the 86-acre estate where Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth spent their honeymoon in 1947.
Penelope also gave birth to three children Nicholas, Alexandra, and Leonora between 1981 and 1986 with her husband. But tragedy struck in 1991 when Leonora was diagnosed with liver cancer and died at the age of five. Her tragically short life ended on October 22, 1991, when she died at St. Bartholomew's Hospital in London. Leonora was laid to rest at her family's Broadlands estate near Romsey.
Following the tragedy, Countess Mountbatten became even closer to Prince Philip and the Queen, especially prince Philip. Although they were more than 30 years apart in age, their friendship grew as a result of their shared love of the outdoors, and it only got stronger after Philip taught the Countess how to drive a carriage in 1994.
However, her Majesty was especially moved by the woman's strength of character after her husband's affair in 2010, which made their relationship more acceptable to the royal family. Refusing to let Norton's departure disrupt royal duties, the Countess assumed control of the Broadlands estate. Despite Norton's family ties to the royals, a friend close to the family stated that "the Queen and Phillip [couldn't] forgive him for what he did to Penny."
From then on, the Countess was a regular at major royal events; among palace staff, she was dubbed "and also" because no guest list was considered complete without her presence.
On May 12, 2007, Penelope Knatchbull, Lady Brabourne, and Prince Philip attended the third day of the Royal Windsor Horse Show in Home Park in Windsor, England. The pair formed a close friendship, which sparked affair speculation at the time—though there is no evidence to suggest they were anything more than friends, which is explored in the series.
According to the Independent, Prince Philip once rebuffed the claims, telling a reporter, "Have you ever stopped to think that for years, I have never moved anywhere without a policeman accompanying me? So how in the world did I get away with something like that?"
Meanwhile, Penny Knatchbull is played by 52-year-old actress Natascha McElhone (@nataschaandsons) in The Crown season 5, who originated the role as she has not appeared in any of the previous seasons. McElhone is also best known for her role in films including The Truman Show and Mrs. Dalloway, while her television credits include Californication, Designated Survivor, and, most recently, Halo.
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