Queen Elizabeth II was close to many members of her family, but shared a particularly close bond with her granddaughter, Lady Louise Windsor.
Lady Louise, now 22, is the daughter of Prince Edward and Duchess Sophie – and the Queen’s second youngest grandchild, after her brother, James, Earl of Wessex.
Their close relationship was demonstrated in 2016, during the late Queen’s 90th birthday celebrations – as has been unearthed in Hugo Vickers’ new book, Queen Elizabeth II: A Personal History.
The royal biographer describes how the family came together for the official celebrations that June, which saw Lady Louise make a rare appearance in public to walk down the Mall, witnessed by her grandmother.
He writes: “The Queen’s more formal birthday celebrations took place in June. There was a service of thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral on Prince Philip’s ninety-fifth birthday. The next day the crowds came out in force to cheer the Queen in her Kermit-the-Frog green coat at Trooping the Colour.
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“On Sunday, there was the Patrons’ Lunch in the Mall. The Royal Family, including Lady Louise Windsor, the Wessexes’ daughter, went up and down the Mall talking to stall-holders.” He adds: “The Queen only smiled on these occasions if genuinely amused.”
Lady Louise’s close bond with her grandmother
Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip had eight grandchildren: Peter and Zara Phillips; Prince William and Prince Harry; Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie; and Lady Louise and James.
“There was always a special bond between the late Queen and Lady Louise, because Louise was her youngest granddaughter,” Joe Little, managing editor of Majesty magazine, told HELLO!’s Royal Club previously.
© GettyLady Louise had a special relationship with her grandmother, the late Queen Elizabeth II
“There was a bit of an age difference between Louise and her older cousins, and in her early years, she had various health problems.
“The very essence of her birth wasn’t particularly straightforward; she had a rather fragile start in life, and that would clearly have been a great concern to her grandparents. So, I think she was very much treasured by both the Queen and the late Duke of Edinburgh.”
Hugo Vickers briefly describes Lady Louise’s birth in the new biography. She was born prematurely, meaning Prince Edward needed to rush home from an overseas visit in Mauritius.
© Photo: Getty ImagesLady Louise is following in her grandmother’s footsteps
He says: “There was huge relief when mother and daughter were safely back at Bagshot Park, their home, on 23 November. Sensibly Prince Edward decided that Louise and her younger brother James (born on 17 December 2007) would not use princely titles, making their passage through school easier.”
Following in her grandparents’ footsteps
Lady Louise is in her final year of a four-year English degree at the University of St Andrews. She is particularly keen on carriage driving, like the late Prince Philip, and regularly takes part in competitions in Windsor.
She is also said to have “fallen in love” with army cadets, following in the footsteps of the late Queen, who joined the Auxiliary Territorial Service in 1945. Lady Louise is a member of the St Andrews’ University Officers’ Training Corps, which provides paid military training for students.