NEHRU AND LADY MOUNTBATTEN (Part Two)
Nehru first met the Mountbattens in Singapore, four days before they arrived in India as the last Viceroy and Vicereine of India. He was there at Lord Mountbatten's invitation to restore peace in Singapore. A large contingent of Indians turned up to welcome Nehru at Government House where he was staying as a guest of the Mountbattens. In their adulation for Nehru, the Indians became unruly and broke into the grounds where Lady Mountbatten had set up a tent for St. John Ambulance Canteen on the lawn. Lady Mountbatten was accidentally knocked to the ground in the stampede.
"Your wife ! Your wife ! We must go to her!" shouted Nehru and both men rushed to help Lady Mountbatten.
They could hardly have met under more informal circumstances. Lord Mountbatten, who doted on his wife, at once took a shine to Nehru.
The negotiations for the Transfer of Power that began on 22nd March are outside the scope of this essay. But by September, when the rioting over the Partition of India began in the Punjab and Calcutta and even in Delhi itself, Nehru and Lord Mounbatten had already forged a powerful bond
.
"He has come suddenly to see me alone on more than one occasion simply and solely for company in his misery; to unburden his soul; and to obtain what comfort I have to give." wrote Lord Mountbatten to the King.
But Nehru's relationship with Lady Edwina Mountbatten became more important still. They both went fearlessly into the streets to deal with the rioters. Once Edwina Mountbatten was with the Health Minister, Amrit Kaur ( a woman ) when they heard that Nehru had gone out alone. They found him trying to stop a crowd of armed men. "Brought him back" , wrote Lady Mountbatten in her journal. She added that she was surprised at how deeply fond of him she had become. The feeling was obviously mutual. In a photo of them visiting a refugee camp, Nehru's hand can be seen clasped protectively around Lady Mountbatten's.
In November 1947 the Mountbattens flew to England for the wedding of Princess Elizabeth to Lord Mountbatten's nephew, Prince Philip of Greece, who became the Duke of Edinburgh.
There was no doubt who Lady Mountbatten wanted to see most upon her return to Delhi. She and Nehru met almost every day and were on first name terms now (Edwina and Jawahar). The Government House records reveal the two of them meeting for dinner on 2nd December (1947)at his house, and at hers on 4th December, and so on throughout the winder.
Lord Mounbatten was now the Governor General of India at Nehru's request and India was now a Dominion of the Crown. The Mounbattens continued to occupy Viceregal Lodge and Nehru was now the acting prime Minister of India.
Jinnah had appointed himself Governor General of Pakistan, as well as its first president.
At the end of November Lord Mountbatten flew in his mistress, Yola Letellier.
Richard Hough, to whom Lord Mountbatten spoke openly about his marriage, wrote :
"They (Lord and Lady Mountbatten) certainly never went to bed together. That had ceased years ago."
On 31st January, at the cremation of Mahatma Gandhi, Lady Mounbatten sat on the bare earth, just behind and a little to the side of Nehru.
In public they remained formal. But in private their letters became more and more fervent:
"What did I tell you?" mused Nehru., "The more one talks the more we has to say, and there is much that is difficult to put into words.'
Nehru's sister remembered: "When Lady Mountbatten was there, my brother's laughter used to ring throughout the house as it used to when we were young."
"Your wife ! Your wife ! We must go to her!" shouted Nehru and both men rushed to help Lady Mountbatten.
They could hardly have met under more informal circumstances. Lord Mountbatten, who doted on his wife, at once took a shine to Nehru.
The negotiations for the Transfer of Power that began on 22nd March are outside the scope of this essay. But by September, when the rioting over the Partition of India began in the Punjab and Calcutta and even in Delhi itself, Nehru and Lord Mounbatten had already forged a powerful bond
.
"He has come suddenly to see me alone on more than one occasion simply and solely for company in his misery; to unburden his soul; and to obtain what comfort I have to give." wrote Lord Mountbatten to the King.
But Nehru's relationship with Lady Edwina Mountbatten became more important still. They both went fearlessly into the streets to deal with the rioters. Once Edwina Mountbatten was with the Health Minister, Amrit Kaur ( a woman ) when they heard that Nehru had gone out alone. They found him trying to stop a crowd of armed men. "Brought him back" , wrote Lady Mountbatten in her journal. She added that she was surprised at how deeply fond of him she had become. The feeling was obviously mutual. In a photo of them visiting a refugee camp, Nehru's hand can be seen clasped protectively around Lady Mountbatten's.
In November 1947 the Mountbattens flew to England for the wedding of Princess Elizabeth to Lord Mountbatten's nephew, Prince Philip of Greece, who became the Duke of Edinburgh.
There was no doubt who Lady Mountbatten wanted to see most upon her return to Delhi. She and Nehru met almost every day and were on first name terms now (Edwina and Jawahar). The Government House records reveal the two of them meeting for dinner on 2nd December (1947)at his house, and at hers on 4th December, and so on throughout the winder.
Lord Mounbatten was now the Governor General of India at Nehru's request and India was now a Dominion of the Crown. The Mounbattens continued to occupy Viceregal Lodge and Nehru was now the acting prime Minister of India.
Jinnah had appointed himself Governor General of Pakistan, as well as its first president.
At the end of November Lord Mountbatten flew in his mistress, Yola Letellier.
Richard Hough, to whom Lord Mountbatten spoke openly about his marriage, wrote :
"They (Lord and Lady Mountbatten) certainly never went to bed together. That had ceased years ago."
On 31st January, at the cremation of Mahatma Gandhi, Lady Mounbatten sat on the bare earth, just behind and a little to the side of Nehru.
In public they remained formal. But in private their letters became more and more fervent:
"What did I tell you?" mused Nehru., "The more one talks the more we has to say, and there is much that is difficult to put into words.'
Nehru's sister remembered: "When Lady Mountbatten was there, my brother's laughter used to ring throughout the house as it used to when we were young."
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