Lord Ivar Mountbatten sells £5.5 million Grade-I listed Devonshire home… but reveals he cannot remain at the property post-sale as he had hoped

When Lord Ivar Mountbatten put Bridwell Park, his Grade I Georgian house in mid-Devon, on the market for £5.5million in April, I disclosed that there was a most unusual catch.

The television personality, a great-nephew of the late Earl Mountbatten of Burma, and his husband, James Coyle, an air cabin services director, appeared to have every intention of remaining at the property, come what may.

‘Our aim is to find an investor to join us,’ Ivar explained, adding that he and James would ‘carefully review how we can make best use of the house and the parkland’. It’s what he described as ‘a strategic decision which forms part of our wider plans’.

Now, however, the couple have accepted an offer on Bridwell – but will not be staying put.

A close friend tells me: ‘They have already found a new home nearby to move into together later this month.’

An aerial view of Bridwell House in Devon, the home of Lord Ivar Mountbatten

A spokesman for the couple confirms: ‘We welcome new owners to Bridwell during September. We hope you’ll join them in wishing the new family great happiness here in Uffculme.’

Lord Ivar, 61, became the first member of the extended Royal Family to enter into a same-sex union in 2018.

Bridwell had been hidden from the public gaze for more than 240 years until 2015 when Lord Ivar and James opened its doors for events.

The pair then further opened up the site to the general public with the launch of the Orangery Cafe in 2020. Visitors have also been able to make use of the parkland for walks during café opening times.

In January, however, Lord Ivar admitted defeat in his battle to persuade pet owners to pay £60 a year to walk their dogs on his estate. He scrapped the charge after visitor numbers soared by 40 per cent since he suspended the scheme.

‘Membership and general admission income hasn’t strengthened our position as much as we hoped,’ he admitted. ‘Visitor numbers have also slowly diluted. Anyone who has been able to join us in January will have noticed in contrast, how guest numbers have grown.’