It’s been just one month since the Royal Family (and the world) watched Meghan Markle and Prince Harry tie the knot. With all the buzz surrounding the royal wedding, market research company Ipsos MORI ran a study that asked 1,681 British respondents to say how they would feel in certain situations including “a member of the Royal Family marrying somebody of the same sex.”
The results showed that two-thirds of respondents “would not be concerned at all,” which is good news because a same-sex royal wedding is on its way! Lord Ivar Mountbatten, cousin to Queen Elizabeth II, is marrying his partner, James Coyle, with a summer wedding this year.
“For me, what’s interesting is I don’t need to get married because I’ve been there, done that and have my wonderful children; but I’m pushing it because I think it’s important for him,” Lord Ivar told “The Daily Mail.”. “James hasn’t had the stable life I have. I want to be able to give [him] that.”
Not only will Lord Ivar have the first same-sex royal wedding, he is also the first out member of the royal family. Prior to his upcoming wedding, Lord Ivar was married to Lady Penny Mountbatten with whom he shares three daughters ranging in age from 15 to 22.
The couple divorced in 2011 due to his sexual identity, but Lady Penny remains supportive of Lord Ivar. In a symbolic nod to their previous marriage, Lady Penny will be walking Lord Ivar down the aisle to give him away to Coyle.
Coyle is an airline cabin services director. The couple met while skiing at Swiss ski resort Verbier. The couple will celebrate their wedding at a private chapel on Lord Ivar’s Devon estate. Rumor has it the marriers will be serving cheese in lieu of wedding cake.
