Lady Louise Windsor, daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, is celebrating her 23rd birthday today. Although she is King Charles's niece and a member of the Royal Family, little is known about her day-to-day life.
Louise does not use her HRH titles and is not a working royal. She only appears on the royal stage for major occasions, choosing to live the rest of her life privately. Despite this, she remains a popular figure, with many fans hoping she will one day become a working royal.
Early life and birth
Lady Louise was born prematurely on November 8, 2003. She was delivered by emergency caesarean section at 11.32pm on Saturday 8th November at Frimley Park NHS Hospital in Surrey, weighing 4 lbs 9 oz. Prince Edward was abroad on a royal engagement at the time and missed the birth. As she was premature, Louise was sent to St. George's Hospital in Tooting, London, for specialised care.
A passion for carriage riding
From an early age, Lady Louise has loved carriage riding, a passion inherited from her late grandfather, Prince Philip. Their shared interest is believed to have created a close bond between them. In the documentary Prince Philip: The Royal Family Remembers, Louise spoke about learning from him: "It's incredible to have learned first-hand from him. After a competition, he would always ask how it went. His eyes would light up because he just gets so excited when he talks about it. When we would go carriage driving, he would take me on a different route every day. I do not know how he managed to do that, and he would tell me all sorts of anecdotes about anything and everything."
Close to the late Queen and royal titles
As a granddaughter of Queen Elizabeth II, Lady Louise was very close to the late monarch. It is believed she spent considerable time with her, especially since the family home was just a short drive from Windsor Castle. Over the years, their bond was evident in the way they embraced one another.
Louise and her brother have both grown up without royal titles and are not working royals. They have had the option to use their HRH titles since turning 18 but have not done so. In a 2020 interview with The Sunday Times, their mother, Duchess Sophie, said: "We try to bring them up with the understanding that they are very likely to have to work for a living. Hence, we decided not to use HRH titles. They have them and can decide to use them from 18, but I think it's highly unlikely."
