The decorated war hero was under US surveillance for more than three decades

Lord Mountbatten was “a homosexual with a perversion for young boys”, according to newly released FBI files.

The decorated war hero – who was a valued mentor to great-nephew Prince Charles and was said to have counselled him on his love life – was under US surveillance for more than three decades.

And one source described the Earl and wife Edwina as “persons of extremely low morals” – with him being “an unfit man to direct any sort of military operations” because of his sexual tastes.

The files emerged after historian Andrew Lownie used freedom of information laws while researching his new book about the couple, The Mountbattens: Their Lives & Loves.

It follows years of speculation over the private life of Mountbatten, who once said he and Edwina “spent all our married lives getting into other people’s beds”.

Lord Louis Mountbatten was under US surveillance for more than three decades(Image: Getty Images)

Lord Louis Mountbatten with his wife Edwina in 1943(Image: Mirrorpix)

In Mr Lownie’s book, Ron Perks, who was the Earl’s driver in Malta in 1948, breaks his silence to claim one of his favourite places was the Red House near Rabat, “an upmarket gay brothel used by naval officers”.

Read More – Lord Mountbatten’s ‘lust for young boys’ exposed in FBI files [Article From 19/8/19]