Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor
Lady Louise in 2017
Born
Louise Alice Elizabeth Mary Mountbatten-Windsor

(2003-11-08) 8 November 2003
Frimley Park Hospital, Frimley, Surrey, United Kingdom
EducationSt Mary's School Ascot
Alma materUniversity of St Andrews (currently attending)
Parents
FamilyHouse of Windsor
James, Earl of Wessex (brother)

Lady Louise Alice Elizabeth Mary Mountbatten-Windsor (born 8 November 2003) is the daughter of Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh, and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh. She is the youngest niece of King Charles III. She was born 8th in line to the British throne and is now 16th as of 2023.

Birth and baptism

Louise was born prematurely on 8 November 2003 at 23:32 GMT at Frimley Park Hospital in Frimley, Surrey, after her mother, Sophie, who was then Countess of Wessex, was rushed there by ambulance from their home at Bagshot Park, Surrey. Louise's father, Prince Edward, then Earl of Wessex, was not present for the birth because it occurred suddenly and while he was on an official visit to Mauritius.[1] Louise was delivered by emergency Caesarean section due to placental abruption, which caused severe blood loss to both child and mother. Louise was transferred to a neo-natal unit in St George's Hospital, Tooting, London, as a precaution. Meanwhile, her mother remained at Frimley Park until she was well enough to be discharged, on 23 November 2003. Her name, Louise Alice Elizabeth Mary, was announced on 27 November.[2]

Lady Louise was baptised in the Private Chapel of Windsor Castle on 24 April 2004 by David Conner, the Dean of Windsor; her godparents were Lady Sarah Chatto, Lord Ivar Mountbatten, Lady Alexandra Etherington, Francesca Schwarzenbach and Rupert Elliott.[3] Louise was the last child to wear the original royal christening gown.[4]

Born with esotropia, Louise underwent an operation in 2006 in an unsuccessful attempt to correct the problem.[5] She had further treatment in late 2013 that corrected her eyes.[6]

Education

Louise attended St George's School, Windsor Castle before moving to St Mary's School Ascot in 2017 from Year 9. She chose English, history, politics and drama as her A-Level subjects.[7] While attending school, she took part in The Duke of Edinburgh's Award.[8] Lady Louise started studying English at the University of St Andrews in September 2022.[8] In August 2022, it was reported that she had been working at a garden centre over the summer.[9][10]

Official appearances

Lady Louise riding in a carriage at Trooping the Colour, June 2013

In 2011, aged 7, Louise was a bridesmaid at the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton.[11]

In April 2015, Louise and her brother, James, participated in their first overseas engagement. They accompanied their parents on a trip to South Africa.[12]

In August 2018, Louise accompanied her mother, patron of UK Sail Training, to Haslar Marina in Portsmouth Harbour to meet a group of young girls working towards earning their qualification on an entry-level course of the Royal Yachting Association.[13] In the same month, mother and daughter attended the final of the Hockey Women's World Cup in London. The Duchess is the patron of England Hockey.[14] At the age of 14, Louise was a special attendant at the wedding of Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank.[15] To celebrate Louise's 15th birthday in November 2018, mother and daughter made a cameo appearance on Strictly Come Dancing as they watched the popular BBC television show from the audience.[16] Louise accompanied her mother in attending the International Horse Show at Olympia, London, in December 2018.[17]

In September 2020, Louise participated in the Great British Beach Clean with her family at Southsea Beach, in support of the Marine Conservation Society.[18][19]

Following the death of her grandfather, Prince Philip, Louise accompanied her parents and uncle Prince Andrew to a church service at the Royal Chapel of All Saints on 11 April 2021.[20] She also attended his funeral on 17 April 2021.[21]

In March 2022 Louise attended the memorial service for Prince Philip.[22] In June 2022 she attended Trooping the Colour, where she also joined her family on the balcony; the Platinum Jubilee National Service of Thanksgiving;[23][24] and the Platinum Party at the Palace.[25]

Louise at the Coronation of Charles III and Camilla in 2023

Following the death of her grandmother Queen Elizabeth II on 8 September 2022, Lady Louise stood vigil for 15 minutes over the Queen's coffin at Westminster Hall together with her brother and six cousins on 17 September.[26] On 19 September, she joined other family members at the state funeral.[27]

On 6 May 2023, Louise attended the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla. During the procession from Westminster Abbey to Buckingham Palace, she travelled in one of the horse-drawn coaches with her parents and brother. On 7 May she attended the Coronation Concert at Windsor Castle.[28]

Personal interests

Louise is a member of Girlguiding, of which her grandmother was patron and her mother is president.[29] Her mother was a Brownie and a Guide when she was a child.[30]

Louise was taught to ride at an early age, and joined her father on horseback as part of the Queen's 90th birthday celebrations in Windsor in 2016.[31] She has taken up carriage driving, a sport popularised in Britain by her grandfather, Prince Philip.[32] In May 2017, she was responsible for leading the carriages of the Champagne Laurent-Perrier Meet of the British Driving Society at the Royal Windsor Horse Show.[33] In May 2019, Louise took part in the Private Driving Singles carriage drive at the Royal Windsor Horse Show and achieved third place.[34] She inherited her grandfather's driving ponies and carriage in April 2021.[35] In 2022, she drove one of his carriages in front of the Queen at the Royal Windsor Horse Show.[36]

Titles, styles, and honours

Titles and styles

Louise is styled as "Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor",[37][38][39][40] although at the time of her birth the palace also used the style "Lady Louise Windsor" in some of its announcements.[41][42] Letters patent issued in 1917 assign a princely status and the style of Royal Highness to all children of a monarch's sons.[43] However, when her parents married, Elizabeth II, via a Buckingham Palace press release, announced that their children would be styled as the children of an earl, rather than as prince or princess.[44] In 2020, her mother stated that Louise retained her royal title and style and could make a choice on whether to use it from the age of 18.[45]

Honours

In June 2008, to recognise a visit by Louise's father to the Canadian province of Manitoba, a lake in the north of the province was named after her. Her younger brother, James, was also honoured with a different lake in the province.[46]

References

  1. ↑ "Royal baby born prematurely". BBC News. 8 November 2003. Retrieved 11 May 2010.
  2. ↑ "Royal Wessex baby finally named". BBC News. 27 November 2003. Retrieved 7 May 2010.
  3. ↑ "Announcement of the christening of Lady Louise Windsor". royal.uk. 7 April 2004. Retrieved 8 April 2004.
  4. ↑ Ranscombe, Siân (19 July 2014). "Prince George's christening gown: the true story". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 12 January 2022. Retrieved 19 July 2014.
  5. ↑ "Lady Louise Windsor". Debrett's. Archived from the original on 17 July 2011. Retrieved 2 January 2014.
  6. ↑ "Prince Edward's daughter has successful operation to correct squint". The Telegraph. 14 January 2014. Archived from the original on 12 January 2022.
  7. ↑ "Lady Louise Windsor among teenagers hit by A-level cancellations". Tatler. 7 January 2021. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
  8. 1 2 Ward, Victoria (18 August 2022). "Lady Louise Windsor to read English at St Andrews following A-level success". The Telegraph. Retrieved 19 August 2022.
  9. ↑ "Queen's granddaughter Lady Louise Windsor is working in a garden centre for $11 an hour". The New Zealand Herald. 19 August 2022. Retrieved 3 September 2022.
  10. ↑ Atkinson, Emily (19 August 2022). "Queen's granddaughter Lady Louise Windsor 'earns minimum wage working at garden centre'". The Independent. Retrieved 4 September 2022.
  11. ↑ Clarence House (14 February 2011). "An update on Maid of Honour and Bridesmaids, Best Man and Page Boys". Queen's Printer. Archived from the original on 11 May 2011. Retrieved 15 February 2011.
  12. ↑ "Lady Louise and James accompany mother Sophie on royal mission in South Africa". 11 April 2015.
  13. ↑ "The Countess of Wessex visits Haslar Marina". The Royal Family. 6 August 2018. Retrieved 8 August 2018.
  14. ↑ "The Countess of Wessex and Lady Louise Windsor attend Hockey World Cup Final in London". Royal Central. 5 August 2018. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  15. ↑ "Lady Louise Windsor looks all grown up on Princess Eugenie's wedding day". Hello!. 12 October 2018. Retrieved 12 October 2018.
  16. ↑ "The real reason why the Countess of Wessex and Lady Louise Windsor visited Strictly Come Dancing". Hello!. 5 December 2018. Retrieved 5 December 2018.
  17. ↑ "Sophie Wessex and Lady Louise Windsor attend International Horse Show together in London". the world news.net. Retrieved 22 December 2018.
  18. ↑ Rice, Francesca (21 September 2020). "The Countess of Wessex looks cool and casual in jeans to litter-pick at the beach with her famil". Good Housekeeping. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  19. ↑ "Prince Edward and family spend sunny weekend on beach clean". Tatler. 21 September 2020. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  20. ↑ "Prince Philip: The Queen says his death has 'left a huge void' - Duke of York". BBC News. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
  21. ↑ "Who attended Prince Philip's funeral?". BBC News. 17 April 2021. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  22. ↑ Scarsi, Alice (29 March 2022). "Lady Louise Windsor stuns royal fans during rare public appearance – 'what a beauty'". Express. Retrieved 19 August 2022.
  23. ↑ Hughes, Seren (2 June 2022). "Royal fans can't believe how grown up the Queen's youngest grandson looks". MyLondon. Retrieved 19 August 2022.
  24. ↑ Osborne, Samuel. "Who was at the Queen's Jubilee service of thanksgiving? Royal family joined by Harry, Meghan and politicians past and present". Sky News. Retrieved 19 August 2022.
  25. ↑ Coke, Hope (4 June 2022). "'You laugh with us and cry with us': Prince Charles pays heartfelt tribute to 'mummy' at historic Platinum Party". Tatler. Retrieved 19 August 2022.
  26. ↑ "'Queen's grandchildren to stand vigil beside coffin on Saturday'". TheGuardian. 16 September 2022. Retrieved 16 September 2022.
  27. ↑ "Queen's youngest grandchild James Viscount Severn, 14, attends funeral with sister". Independent.co.uk. 19 September 2022.
  28. ↑ "The Coronation of TM The King and Queen Camilla". BBC. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  29. ↑ "Roles in Guiding". The Guide Association. Archived from the original on 9 August 2016. Retrieved 21 April 2016.
  30. ↑ "Sophie celebrates 100 years of the Brownies with Lady Louise". 27 June 2014. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 2 November 2014.
  31. ↑ "The Queen's delight as family take part in birthday pageant". Hello!. 16 May 2016. Retrieved 16 May 2016.
  32. ↑ "Lady Louise Windsor, 13, takes after grandfather Prince Philip carriage driving". Hello!. 26 June 2017. Retrieved 26 June 2017.
  33. ↑ "Queen's granddaughter makes Royal Windsor driving debut". Horse & Hound. 17 May 2017. Retrieved 17 May 2017.
  34. ↑ "Sophie, Countess of Wessex cuts casual figure as she supports daughter Lady Louise Windsor". Daily Express. 9 May 2019. Retrieved 9 May 2019.
  35. ↑ "Lady Louise Windsor to inherit Prince Philip's carriage and two ponies". Hello!. 19 April 2021. Retrieved 9 October 2021.
  36. ↑ Furness, Hannah (7 May 2022). "Lady Louise to drive Duke of Edinburgh's carriage at Platinum Jubilee horse show". The Telegraph. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
  37. ↑ "The Queen's grandchildren hold a Vigil at Westminster Hall". The Royal Family. 17 September 2022. Retrieved 23 February 2023. The Queen's grandchildren, The Prince of Wales, The Duke of Sussex, Princess Beatrice, Princess Eugenie, Viscount Severn, Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor, Mr. Peter Phillips, and Mrs. Zara Tindall held a Vigil beside Her Majesty The Queen's coffin at Westminster Hall.
  38. ↑ "The Royal Family" (PDF). The Royal Family. Retrieved 23 February 2023. Members of the Royal Family... Annex D - Royal Family
  39. ↑ "Succession". The Royal Family. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
  40. ↑ "Court Circular". The Royal Family. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
  41. ↑ "Family photographs of The Earl and Countess of Wessex with Lady Louise Windsor". The Royal Family. 7 January 2004. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
  42. ↑ "Announcement of the christening of Lady Louise Windsor". The Royal Family. 8 April 2004. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
  43. ↑ "No. 30428". The London Gazette. 14 December 1917. p. 13086.
  44. ↑ "Title of HRH The Prince Edward". United Kingdom Government News. 19 June 1999. Archived from the original on 1 February 2014.
  45. ↑ "Queen Elizabeth's Grandchildren Will 'Work for a Living' and Won't Use HRH, Says Mom Sophie Wessex". People. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
  46. ↑ "Prince Edward begins Winnipeg visit". The Vancouver Sun. Canada. 2 June 2008. Archived from the original on 15 April 2011. Retrieved 5 April 2010.
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