Lady Louise Windsor talks about doing the Duke of Edinburgh award
Lady Louise, 17, and her brother James, Viscount Severn, 13, have grown up paying several visits to their royal grandparents at Windsor Castle, just a stone’s throw away from the Earl and Countess of Wessex’s residence, according to royal expert Camilla Tominey. When they were younger, their presence at the castle could often be spotted by guests, who reported seeing the children’s possessions left at the Queen’s residence ahead of their next visit, the commentator claimed.
Outlining the reasons why Lady Louise and James have had the chance to grow up in close contact with the sovereign and the Duke of Edinburgh, Ms Tominey wrote in the Daily Telegraph: “Unlike her older cousins, Princes William and Harry, Louise got to see a lot more of her grandparents growing up because she has always lived just 11 miles from Windsor – and had the benefit of being born around the time the Queen and Prince Philip scaled back their long-haul travel.
“Weekend visitors to Windsor Castle would speak of stepping over scooters and tricycles belonging to Louise and James, thanks to their regular visits.”
Prince Edward and Sophie, Countess of Wessex, aren’t just regular visitors at Windsor Castle but also spend time with the monarch at her other residences during her holidays.
In an interview with the Telegraph magazine, Sophie said: “The poor Queen has had to put up with us staying on much longer than anybody else in Scotland and Norfolk.”
Lady Louise Windsor is turning 18 in November (Image: GETTY)
Sophie and James, Viscount Severn (Image: GETTY)
According to a royal insider, both the Wessexes’ children “relish” their time at Balmoral – something which may have drawn them even closer to the Queen and Prince Philip over the years.
The source told The Sun: “The Queen loves the fact that Louise and James relish their time at Balmoral, and she has become particularly close to Louise, who seems to have become her favourite grandchild, closely followed by James.
“Louise also endeared herself to everyone by looking after William and Kate’s children when they were up here.
“Louise loves drawing and sketching and was very patiently trying to get Charlotte to do pictures of rabbits and deer.”
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Lady Louise Windsor and Prince Philip on Christmas Day 2017 (Image: GETTY)
Another source claimed James has picked up fly-fishing, a pastime who used to be loved by both the late Queen Mother and the Duke of Edinburgh.
They said: “[James’s] enthusiasm for fly-fishing delighted Her Majesty because it’s a sport beloved of James’ great-granny, the late Queen Mother.
“James was in the Dee as often as possible, waders up to his armpits.
“His mother Sophie, who was a keen fisherwoman herself, liked to stand with him.
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The Wessexes live at Bagshot Park in Surrey (Image: GETTY)
Lady Louise Windsor is a keen carriage driver (Image: GETTY)
“The Balmoral ghillies [gamekeepers] were impressed by both of them.”
Lady Louise was also particularly close to the late Duke thanks to their shared passion for carriage driving.
Prince Philip took up the sport in his 50s, after he gave up polo, and has been one of Britain’s leading personalities championing it.
Louise opened up on her love for carriage driving and how much she learned directly from the Duke in the documentary Prince Philip: The Royal Family Remembers.
Sophie and Prince Edward got married in 1999 (Image: EXPRESS)
She said: The Duke of Edinburgh has been so involved in my driving which has been so lovely although slightly scary because he invented the sport pretty much.
“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.
Prince Edward, Lady Louise Windsor and Sophie speaking to the press after the death of Prince Philip (Image: GETTY)
“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 tell me all sorts of anecdotes about anything and everything.
“He is honestly one of the most interesting people I have ever met.”
During the programme, and in her first-ever interview, Louise also said to have taken part in the Duke of Edinburgh Award, a successful scheme launched by Philip in 1956.
Among the reasons why she completed it, she said there was a desire to make her grandfather proud.
She said: “There was certainly an element of making my grandfather proud and honouring him by taking part in the award that has been so much of his life’s work.”
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