Lady Louise Windsor

Lady Louise Alice Elizabeth Mary Mountbatten-Windsor (born 8 November 2003) is a member of the British royal family. She is the elder child and only daughter of Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh, and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh. Louise is the youngest niece of King Charles III. She was born during the reign of her paternal grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, and at the time of her birth was eighth in the line of succession to the British throne; as of 2025, she is 17th.

Birth and baptism

Lady Louise Alice Elizabeth Mary Mountbatten-Windsor was born prematurely on 8 November 2003 at 11:32Template:Nbsppm at Frimley Park Hospital in Frimley, Surrey, after her mother, Sophie, then Countess of Wessex, was taken 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 while he was on an official visit to Mauritius.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He is the youngest child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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, while her mother remained at Frimley Park until being discharged, on 23 November. Her name, Louise Alice Elizabeth Mary, was announced on 26 November.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Louise was baptised in the Private Chapel of Windsor Castle on 24 April 2004 by David Conner, the Dean of Windsor; her godparents are Lady Sarah Chatto, Lord Ivar Mountbatten, Lady Alexandra Etherington, Francesca Schwarzenbach and Rupert Elliott.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Louise was the last child to wear the original royal christening gown.<ref>Template:Cite newsTemplate:Cbignore</ref>

Born with esotropia, Louise underwent an operation in 2006 in an unsuccessful attempt to correct the condition.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> She had further treatment in late 2013 that corrected her eyes.<ref>Template:Cite newsTemplate:Cbignore</ref>

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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> While attending school, she took part in The Duke of Edinburgh's Award.<ref name="Telegraph-Education"/> Louise started studying English at the University of St Andrews in September 2022.<ref name="Telegraph-Education">Template:Cite web</ref> In August 2022, it was reported that she had been working at a garden centre over the summer.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Military training

In 2024, she joined the British Army's University Officers' Training Corps (UOTC) unit, Tayforth UOTC, an Army Reserve unit which is made up of members studying at the University of St Andrews and other institutions in the surrounding region.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=":0">Template:Cite news</ref> As of 2025 she holds the rank of Officer Cadet in the Army Reserve.<ref name=":0" />

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.<ref name="Clarence House">Template:Cite web</ref>

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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Louise accompanied her mother in attending the International Horse Show at Olympia, London, in December 2018.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In September 2020, Louise participated in the Great British Beach Clean with her family at Southsea Beach, in support of the Marine Conservation Society.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Louise at the coronation of Charles III and Camilla in 2023

Following the death of her grandfather, Prince Philip, Louise accompanied her parents to a church service at the Royal Chapel of All Saints on 11 April 2021.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> She also attended his funeral on 17 April 2021.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In March 2022 Louise attended the memorial service for Prince Philip. She attended Trooping the Colour in June, where she also joined her family on the balcony; the Platinum Jubilee National Service of Thanksgiving;<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and the Platinum Party at the Palace.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Following the death of her grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, on 8 September 2022, Louise stood vigil for 15 minutes at the Queen's coffin at Westminster Hall together with her brother James and six cousins on 17 September.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On 19 September, she joined other family members at the state funeral.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

On 6 May 2023, Louise attended the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla. On 7 May she attended the Coronation Concert at Windsor Castle.<ref name="bbc">Template:Cite web</ref>

Personal interests

Louise is a member of Girlguiding, of which her grandmother was patron and her mother is president.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Her mother was a Brownie and a Guide when she was a child.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> She has taken up carriage driving, a sport popularised in Britain by her grandfather, Prince Philip.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In May 2019, Louise took part in the Private Driving Singles carriage drive at the Royal Windsor Horse Show and achieved third place.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> She inherited her grandfather's driving ponies and carriage in April 2021.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2022, she drove one of his carriages in front of the Queen at the Royal Windsor Horse Show.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Titles, styles, and honours

Titles and styles

Louise is styled as "Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor",<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> although at the time of her birth the palace also used the style "Lady Louise Windsor" in some of its announcements.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> At birth, Louise automatically became a princess of the United Kingdom due to letters patent issued in 1917 which assigned princely status and the style of Royal Highness to all children of a monarch's sons.<ref>Template:London Gazette</ref> 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>Template:Update inline

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 Lake Louise. Louise's brother was similarly honoured by Lake James in the same province.<ref name="TheVancouverSun_2Jun2008_LakesnamedafterLouiseandJames">Template:Cite news</ref>

External links

• Template:Commonscatinline