Louise Mountbatten-Windsor

**Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor** (Louise Alice Elizabeth Mary Mountbatten-Windsor; born November 8, 2003) is a member of the British royal family. She is the oldest child and only daughter of Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh and  Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh. She is 16th in Line to the British throne.

She has a younger brother James, Earl of Wessex (b.2007).

## Early Life

Lady Louise Windsor was born prematurely on 8 November 2003 at Frimley Park Hospital in Frimley, Surrey, after her mother was rushed there by ambulance from the Wessex home at Bagshot Park, Surrey. Prince Edward was not present for the birth because it occurred suddenly and while he was on an official visit to Mauritius. 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.

She was baptised in the Private Chapel of Windsor Castle on 24 April 2004 by David Conner, the Dean of Windsor; her godparents were Lady Sarah Chatto, Lord Ivar Mountbatten, Lady Alexandra Etherington, Francesca Schwarzenbach and Rupert Elliott. Louise was the last child to wear the original royal christening gown.

Born with esotropia, Louise underwent an operation in an unsuccessful attempt to correct the problem in January 2006. She had further treatment in late 2013 that corrected her eyes

## Education

Louise attended St George's School, Windsor Castle before moving to St Mary's School Ascot in 2017 from her year 9 school year. She chose English, history, politics and drama as her A-Level subjects. While attending school, she took part in The Duke of Edinburgh's Award. Lady Louise will start studying English at the University of St Andrews in September 2022. In August 2022, it was reported that she had been working at a garden centre over the summer.

## Official Appearances

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

In April 2015, Louise and her brother James participated in their first overseas engagement. They accompanied their parents on a trip to South Africa.

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. In the same month, mother and daughter attended the final of the Hockey Women's World Cup in London. The Countess has a great interest in the sport and is the patron of England Hockey. At the age of 14, Louise was a special attendant at the wedding of Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank. 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. Louise accompanied the Countess in attending the International Horse Show at Olympia, London, in December 2018.

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

Following the death of her grandfather Prince Philip, Louise accompanied her parents and uncle Prince Andrew to a church service at Royal Chapel of All Saints on 11 April 2021, and met members of the Windsor Estate staff to share memories and condolences. She also attended his funeral on 17 April 2021.

In March 2022 she attended the memorial service for Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. In June 2022 she attended Trooping the Colour, where she also joined her family on the balcony, the Platinum Jubilee National Service of Thanksgiving and the Platinum Party at the Palace

## Tittles and Succession

* November 8, 2003 - present: *Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor*

She is styled as "Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor", although letters patent issued in 1917, and still in force, assign a princely status and the style of *Royal Highness* to all children of a monarch's sons. However, when her parents married, the Queen, 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. Thus, court communications refer to her as *Lady Louise Windsor*. In 2020, the Countess of Wessex stated that Louise retained her royal title and style and would make a choice on whether to use it when she reached the age of 18.