King Charles’ Godson Proven a ‘Changed Man’ as He’s Back in Line for $135M Fortune Post-Addiction
King Charles’ godson is back as heir to a £100M (approx. $135M) fortune after years of addiction, exile, and a long road to rebuilding trust with his family
Nicholas Knatchbull was destined to follow a similar aristocratic future to that of his cousins, Prince William and Harry, and a £100 (approx. $135) million inheritance. Instead, his life went off course into heavy partying, d----, and public scandal, which eventually pushed his father to cut him off. After this, it led to years in unstable living situations, which were far removed from his upbringing. Now 44, sober, married, and a father, he has successfully turned his life around, and according to a report by Daily Mail, he has returned to live at the family estate, Broadlands. He has apparently also been reinstated as the heir.
Knatchbull was basically born right into the royal inner circle. He is the godson of King Charles, and his great-grandfather was Lord Louis Mountbatten, who was assassinated by the IRA and once served as the last Viceroy of India. As a kid, he appeared on the Buckingham Palace balcony and later helped William settle in at Eton. His mother, Penelope Knatchbull, was also close to Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip, especially through shared interests like carriage driving and royal events.
During his late teens and twenties, Knatchbull was deep in addiction, struggling with several substances. He went through rehab more than once, including stints in the U.S., the UK, and South Africa. “Even in a country with a long history of debauched and outrageous aristocrats, Nicholas Knatchbull was in a class of his own for scandal,” an insider said. He ended up living in rough squats across London and Southampton and was even sectioned under the Mental Health Act after disappearing from treatment.
Knatchbull’s behavior had already put him on thin ice, with repeated threats of disinheritance hanging over him. He got so out of hand that his father eventually had enough and cut him off entirely. He was kicked out of the family’s grand estate, Broadlands, which is a 60-room mansion in Romsey, Hampshire. Since the estate was not legally bound to pass to the eldest son, it was widely expected that it would instead go to his sister, Lady Alexandra Hooper.
The turning point for Knatchbull came when he finally got off drugs. After multiple rehab stints that reportedly cost a fortune, he is now said to be around 15 years clean. Even so, his family did not immediately trust that the change would stick; there were still doubts after everything that had happened.
What helped shift things was his settling into a serious relationship. His partner, Ambre Pouzet, was not the typical aristocratic match; she is a French cabaret performer known for her quirky “mer-lesque” act. After a long engagement, the two married in 2021, and the wedding took place at Broadlands. A close family source said, “It was decided to bring Nicholas back into the family because he's proved that he's a changed man. He's living back in the main house with his family. Nicholas has gone through a lot, and it's good to see that he's got his life back on track. We are all happy for him.”
