Lady Louise Windsor

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 are 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 condition.^[5] She had further treatment in late 2013 that corrected her eyes.^[6]

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]

 

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

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.^[12] 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.^[13] 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.^[14] Louise accompanied her mother in attending the International Horse Show at Olympia, London, in December 2018.^[15]

In September 2020, Louise participated in the Great British Beach Clean with her family at Southsea Beach, in support of the Marine Conservation Society.^[16][17]

 

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.^[18] She also attended his funeral on 17 April 2021.^[19] 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;^[20][21] and the Platinum Party at the Palace.^[22] 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.^[23] On 19 September, she joined other family members at the state funeral.^[24]

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.^[25]

Louise is a member of Girlguiding, of which her grandmother was patron and her mother is president.^[26] Her mother was a Brownie and a Guide when she was a child.^[27]

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.^[28] She has taken up carriage driving, a sport popularised in Britain by her grandfather, Prince Philip.^[29] 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.^[30] In May 2019, Louise took part in the Private Driving Singles carriage drive at the Royal Windsor Horse Show and achieved third place.^[31] She inherited her grandfather's driving ponies and carriage in April 2021.^[32] In 2022, she drove one of his carriages in front of the Queen at the Royal Windsor Horse Show.^[33]

Louise is styled as "Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor",^{[34][35][36][37]} although at the time of her birth the palace also used the style "Lady Louise Windsor" in some of its announcements.^[38][39] 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.^[40] 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.^[41] 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.^{[42][needs update]}

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.^[43]

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