The latest series of The Traitors US is set to welcome a Royal contestant for the first time, as Lord Ivar Mountbatten has officially been confirmed to be joining the star-studded lineup.

The 61 year old Royal boasts a number of connections to the family, including King Charles who himself is Ivar’s second cousin.

Yet it isn’t just the monarch that Ivar is close to, as he also shares a strong bond with Prince Edward and Duchess Sophie, both of whom are godparents to his daughters.

In a similar reciprocal fashion, Ivar is also the proud godfather to their daughter Lady Louise Windsor.

Even more interestingly, Ivar also made history back in 2016 when he came out as gay, before going on to become the first member of the Royal family to have a same-sex wedding to his now-husband James Coyle in 2018.

Prior to revealing his sexuality, Ivar had been married for 17 years to wife Penelope Anne Vere Thompson, however the couple decided to divorce in 2011 but remained good friends – so much so, she even walked him down the aisle at his wedding to James!

In addition to his strong family connections, following the death of his own father in April 1970, Ivar previously came to think of the late Prince Philip as a father figure and previously recounted how much the late Duke of Edinburgh had supported him following his father’s demise.

Lord Ivar Mountbatten opened up to The Telegraph, sharing touching memories of Prince Philip’s support after his father’s death: “Prince Philip, then 49, and Uncle Dickie stepped up and supported my mother, who’d been left a widow aged just 31. She was hugely grateful to the Duke for keeping an eye on her and for being a sort of father figure to us, her two boys,” reports the Mirror.

He fondly recalled how the Duke of Edinburgh would share stories about his late father: “In later years, I would sit with him and ask endless questions about my father. It was wonderful to have someone who could tell me everything about him.”

Lord Ivar also praised Philip’s attentive nature: “Prince Philip was a wonderful listener; you could tell him anything as long as you were being honest and forthright. He was happy to listen to your thoughts. But if he had some advice he thought you ought to hear, he’d give it to you.”

The aristocrat is set to appear in the star-studded line-up of The Traitors US, following the success of the UK version. Hosted by Alan Cumming, the American adaptation will be filmed in Scotland and features a glittering array of celebrities, including Sam Asghari, known for his marriage to Britney Spears, Dylan Efron, brother to actor Zac, personalities from The Real Housewives, Ru Paul’s Drag Race star Bob the Drag Queen, Tom Sandoval of Vanderpump Rules fame, and several veterans from Survivor.