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Lady Louise Windsor, daughter of Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, and Sophie, Countess of Wessex, grew up largely out of the public eye—a move her parents very much intended. As the Queen’s youngest granddaughter, she attended royal events and had a close relationship with Prince Philip, with whom she bonded over carriage racing (she recalled how intimidating he was on the subject in the BBC documentary Prince Philip: The Royal Family Remembers), but never took on an official royal title. However, with her 18th birthday on November 8, that could change.
In an interview in 2020 with the Times, Countess Sophie discussed the family’s decision to keep Louise and James, Louise’s 13-year-old brother, out of the spotlight until they were ready. For example, though Lady Louise could take the title of Princess on her birthday, she will have to decide for herself whether it’s something that’s right. "We try to bring them up with the understanding they are very likely to have to work for a living,” Sophie told the publication. “Hence we made the decision not to use HRH titles. They have them and can decide to use them from 18, but I think it's highly unlikely."
Sophie, Countess of Wessex, Lady Louise, and Edward, Earl of Wessex, earlier this year.
Making it especially unlikely? The fact that, according to Express UK, no royal has ever changed titles on their 18th birthday. Royal expert Marlene Koenig, speaking to Express UK, said that the decision was likely more the Queen’s to make than Louise’s, but the publication also reported that Louise is the rumored favorite grandchild of Her Majesty.
In fact, in the same interview, Countess Sophie said that she hoped Louise would go a more traditional path, after taking the A-level tests that will allow her to go to a British university. “She's working hard and will do A-levels. I hope she goes to university. I wouldn't force her, but if she wants to. She's quite clever."
But regardless whether she takes a new title or stays Lady Louise Windsor, there’s little doubt that her role in the royal family is about to get much bigger. After showing a great deal of maturity and comfort in front of the camera during her first media interview, for the aforementioned Prince Philip documentary, there was speculation that she could be the Queen’s “secret weapon” in the youngest generation of royals.
And Express also reported that there’s plenty of space for Lady Louise, should she take on more active royal duties. In particular, Lady Louise would likely be tapped to take the Queen’s place at royal events when she’s unable to attend—something Prince Harry would have done if he hadn't stepped away from royal duties. As a result, there’s a possibility we’ll all be seeing a lot more of her in the future.
Whatever Lady Louise decides to do this week regarding the future, here's wishing her a very happy birthday!