The rise of Lady Louise Windsor: Meet Sophie and Edward’s daughter
Lady Louise Windsor, 20, has long been evolving into a vision of tried-and-tested, understated elegance. Lady Louise Windsor, is the daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, and sister of the Earl of Wessex (formerly James, Viscount Severn).
Everything you need to know about Queen Elizabeth II's youngest grandchild, James, Earl of Wessex
Always the picture of polish Lady Louise has won fans thanks to her low-key nature and sense of duty – she memorably played an important role in the days following the death of Queen Elizabeth II. Alongside her brother James, Lady Louise grew up at Bagshot Park in Windsor, largely keeping out of the spotlight bar on special royal occasions, such as the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (now the Prince and Princess of Wales), at which she was a flower girl. After sitting her A-levels in English, drama, history and politics, Lady Louise followed in the footsteps of her cousin Prince William and enrolled at the University of St Andrews. It is there where William met the then Kate Middleton.
On the eve of the King’s coronation in May, Lady Louise joined her parents, brother and other European and British royals for dinner at Oswald’s. At the coronation, she put on her most stylish display yet in a silk dress by Suzannah and a bespoke Jane Taylor hat.
The 20-year-old was the late Queen’s second-youngest grandchild and shared a close relationship with her grandfather, the Duke of Edinburgh, from whom she inherited a love of carriage-driving.
Here Tatler looks back at her life in pictures.
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Lady Louise Windsor arrives at Westminster Abbey for the Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla
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Lady Louise Windsor arrives at Westminster Abbey for the Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla
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James, Viscount Severn (now the Earl of Wessex) and Lady Louise Windsor arrive at Westminster Abbey for The State Funeral of Queen Elizabeth II
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Lady Louise Windsor is seen during a vigil in honour of Queen Elizabeth II at Westminster Hall, 2022
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Princess Beatrice of York, Lady Louise Windsor, the Countess of Wessex, Peter Phillips, Princess Eugenie of York, Prince Andrew, Duke of York, Zara Phillips and the Earl of Wessex greet members of the public gathered outside of Balmoral Castle in Ballater after Queen Elizabeth II died at the age of 96
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Lady Louise Windsor attends a Service of Thanksgiving for the life of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh at Westminster Abbey, 2022
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Lady Louise Windsor attends a National Service of Thanksgiving to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II at St Paul's Cathedral
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Lady Louise Windsor attends the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham
Max Mumby / Indigo / Getty Images9/40Taking part in The Champagne Laurent-Perrier Meet of The British Driving Society at the Royal Windsor Horse Show in Home Park, Windsor Castle, 2021
Mark Cuthbert / UK Press via Getty Images10/40With Prince Edward and the Countess of Wessex during the Royal Windsor Horse Show, 2021
Dominic Lipinski - WPA Pool / Getty Images11/40Attending the funeral of the Duke of Edinburgh with members of the Royal Family at St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle, 2021
STEVE PARSONS / POOL / AFP via Getty Images12/40Attending a Sunday service at the Royal Chapel of All Saints at Royal Lodge with Prince Edward and the Countess of Wessex, 2021
Pool / Samir Hussein / WireImage via Getty Images13/40With Prince Edward, the Countess of Wessex and Viscount Severnduring the Great British Beach Clean on Southsea beach, 2020
Max Mumby / Indigo / Getty Images14/40Attending an England Hockey team training session at Bisham Abbey National Sports Centre in Marlow, 2020
Max Mumby / Indigo / Getty Images15/40Feeding a giraffe during a visit to The Wild Place Project at Bristol Zoo, 2019
Samir Hussein / WireImage via Getty Images16/40With the Countess of Wessex at an Easter Sunday service at St George's Chapel, 2019
Pool / Samir Hussein / WireImage via Getty Images17/40Attending the Christmas Day Church service at Church of St Mary Magdalene on the Sandringham estate with her family, 2019
Owen Humphreys - WPA Pool / Getty Images18/40Attending the wedding of Jack Brooksbank and Princess Eugenie at St. George's Chapel in Windsor Castle, 2018
Andrew Milligan - WPA / Getty Images19/40Attending the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex with the Royal Family at St George's Chapel, 2018
John Stillwell - WPA Pool / Getty Images20/40Welcoming the Queen with members of the Royal Family celebrating her 92nd birthday at the Royal Albert Hall, 2018
Max Mumby / Indigo / Getty Images21/40Taking part in The Champagne Laurent-Perrier Meet of the British Driving Society at the Royal Windsor Horse Show in in Windsor, 2017
PAUL GROVER / AFP via Getty Images22/40Greeting the Countess of Wessex after she arrives back at Buckingham Palace having completed a cycle ride from Edinburgh on behalf of the Duke of Edinburgh's Award, 2016
Ben A. Pruchnie / Getty Images23/40Riding a horse during the Queen's 90th Birthday Celebrations at Home Park, Windsor, 2016
Max Mumby / Indigo / Getty Images24/40Fedding ring-tailed lemurs during a visit to the Wild Place Project at Bristol Zoo, 2016
Mark Cuthbert / UK Press via Getty Images25/40At Ascot, 2015
Max Mumby / Indigo / Getty Images26/40Watching England win against the Netherlands at the Unibet EuroHockey Championships against at the Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre in London, 2015
John Stillwell - WPA Pool / Getty Images27/40Hosting a tea party at Buckingham Palace to mark the 100th anniversary of the Brownies, 2014
Paul Hackett - WPA Pool / Getty Images28/40Arriving for the Easter Matins with the Countess of Wessex at St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle, 2014
Chris Jackson / Getty Images29/40Arriving at the Christmas Day church service at Sandringham Church with the Countess of Wessex, Prince Andrew, Prince Edward, Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence and the Duke of Edinburgh, 2012
STEFAN ROUSSEAU / AFP / GettyImages30/40Watching the individual pursuit cycling event with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and the Countess of Wessex during the London 2012 Paralympic Games
Matt Cardy / Getty Images31/40With Prince Edward and the Countess of Wessex at a Service Of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral, 2012
Max Mumby / Indigo / Getty Images32/40With the Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh and other members of the Royal Family during Trooping the Colour, 2011
Max Mumby / Indigo / Getty Images33/40On a fairground ride at the Royal Windsor Horse Show, 2011
Dan Kitwood / Getty Images34/40Arriving at Westminster Abbey with Tom Pettifer, Lady Margarita Armstrong-Jones and William Lowther-Pinkerton during the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, 2011
George Pimentel / WireImage via Getty Images35/40On the balcony of Buckingham Palace with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and other flower girls and pageboys on their wedding day, 2011
Chris Jackson / Getty Images36/40With Prince Edward as they disembark the Hebridean Princess in Scrabster, Scotland, 2010
Samir Hussein / WireImage via Getty Images37/40With the Duke of Cambridge, the Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Edward, the Countess of Wessex and the Duke of Sussex during Trooping The Colour, 2008
Max Mumby / Indigo / Getty Images38/40At the Royal Windsor Horse Show, 2009
Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images39/40With Prince Edward as they arrive at Stornoway after a Hebridean island cruise holiday, 2006
Tim Graham / Corbis via Getty Images40/40Prince Edward and the Countess of Windsor with their new born daughter, 2004
