Royals attend funeral of Countess Mountbatten of Burma

The Queen, Duke of Edinburgh and other members of the Royal Family have attended the funeral of Countess Mountbatten of Burma.

The Prince of Wales was among the mourners in central London at the funeral of the woman he described as his "very special godmother" after she died at the age of 93 earlier this month.

Heir to the throne Charles said the Countess played an "extremely important" part in his life and he would "miss her presence most dreadfully".

Born Patricia Mountbatten, the Countess was the Duke of Edinburgh's first cousin and was the daughter of Charles's beloved great-uncle Earl Mountbatten.

The then Princess Elizabeth, her third cousin, was one of her bridesmaids at her wedding in 1946.

She died peacefully at her home in Mersham, Kent, on June 13, surrounded by her children.

The Prince said in a statement at the time her death was announced: "I was deeply saddened to learn of the death of my very special godmother, Lady Mountbatten, whom I have known and loved ever since I can first remember.

"She played an extremely important part in my life and I shall miss her presence most dreadfully."

• The Queen and Prince Philip leave St Paul's Church in Knightsbridge

The Countess's father Lord Mountbatten, her 14-year-old son Nicholas Knatchbull and her mother-in-law the Dowager Lady Brabourne were all murdered by the IRA in 1979 when their boat was blown up off the coast of Sligo.

The Countess, then known as Lady Brabourne, suffered serious injuries, but survived the blast, as did her husband Lord Brabourne and Nicholas's twin brother Timothy.

A local boat boy, 15-year-old Paul Maxwell, also died.

Her husband Lord Brabourne was the producer of films such as A Passage To India and Death On The Nile, and they had six surviving children.