Lady Louise Windsor

Lady Louise Alice Elizabeth Mary Mountbatten-Windsor (born 8 November 2003) is the elder child of Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex and Forfar, and Sophie, Countess of Wessex and Forfar, both members of the British royal family. She is a granddaughter of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. A niece of King Charles III, Lady Louise Windsor is 15th in the line of succession to the British throne .

Birth and baptism

Lady Louise Windsor was born prematurely on 8 November 2003 at 23:32 GMT at Frimley Park Hospital in Frimley, Surrey, after her mother, Sophie, Countess of Wessex, was rushed there by ambulance from the Wessex home at Bagshot Park, Surrey. Louise's father, Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, 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 2006 in an unsuccessful attempt to correct the problem. 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 Year 9. 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 started 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
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