Maddison May Brudenell, the great-granddaughter of Lord Mountbatten, recently introduced her baby son and shared details about her upcoming wedding in an exclusive interview with HELLO!
Maddison, a 30-year-old former Ralph Lauren model and a third cousin of Princes William and Harry, expressed her excitement about the wedding after a whirlwind romance. Her fiancé, Bret Kapetanov, also 30, proposed just months after they met. He even moved across the Atlantic to be with her.
“Our family feels complete,” Maddison said. At the time they met, she was a mother of three and going through a divorce. She met Bret during a visit to friends in Windsor, Ontario, where he works as a millwright.
Their baby, Michael Adam, was born at home on August 6, weighing 8 pounds and 4 ounces. He is named after Maddison’s grandfather, a royal obstetrician. However, both Maddison and Michael had to be rushed to the hospital after a difficult 40-hour labor when the umbilical cord snapped.
“I lifted him out of the water and held him to my chest, and then I heard a snap. It was very alarming,” Maddison recalled. “Michael went white, and then the midwives took over. Then the ambulances and paramedics arrived.”
A Love Story
Despite their different backgrounds, Maddison and Bret felt a strong connection. On their last day in Canada, Bret took Maddison and her children—Daphne, seven; Phebe, five; and Moses, three—to the airport.
“Sparks were flying, and it felt impossible to resist that magnetic attraction between us,” Maddison shared. “We were drawn together, and we kissed. It felt like true love.”
Maddison’s life has been filled with glamorous parties and fashion shows, even sharing moments with the royal family at events like Trooping the Colour and attending Queen Elizabeth’s funeral. In contrast, Bret grew up on a farm in Windsor, Ontario.
However, they bond over shared interests, including sustainability and their Christian faith. Bret admitted, “I knew a little bit about her background, with the royals and everything, but I didn’t think she’d be interested in a welder like myself.”
Royal Connections
Their photoshoot took place in an Oxfordshire mansion that once belonged to Maddison’s grandparents, Lady Pamela Hicks and designer David Hicks. Lady Pamela, a cousin of the late Duke of Edinburgh, is proud to welcome Bret as her new grandson-in-law.
Maddison noted, “He had a very different upbringing than mine, working on the farm and going to work before and after school. In that regard, he’s a gentleman. He knows how to treat a woman and respect his elders. He’s shown Grandmama nothing but respect, and she holds him in high regard because of it.”
Maddison added, “The joining of our two worlds has been wonderful. I didn’t even know what a welder was when I met Bret, and he had no interest in fashion. But now he has attended shows with me, and I enjoy being in Bret’s workshop. I’ve even tried welding!”
Seeing Bret as a father to baby Michael has deepened her excitement about building a future together. “My dream of a joyful family has come true, and I can’t wait to celebrate our love and life at our wedding next month,” she said.
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