The Truth About Queen Elizabeth's 'Favorite Grandchild,' Lady Louise

The Queen reportedly has a favorite grandchild, and, surprisingly, it's not Prince William or Prince Harry. Lady Louise Windsor has earned that distinction instead. The daughter of Prince Edward and Sophie, Countess of Wessex, is said to be the favorite of the Queen, and it's because the two have spent some quality time together at Balmoral Castle, according to Cosmopolitan. 

The 17-year-old member of the royal family has also really stepped up when it comes to her royal duties after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle walked away in 2020 (via Insider). A source told Daily Express that Lady Louise has really "proven herself mature, diligent, and ready to work," and the Queen sees a lot of her own daughter, Princess Anne, in that hardworking spirit. 

Queen Elizabeth was reportedly very "upset and disappointed" with Prince Harry when he left for California, so it makes sense that she's grown to admire and love the grandchild who has swooped in to fill that space (via Vanity Fair).

Aside from being the Queen's reported favorite, Lady Louise is also just a really chill royal. Unlike her other cousins, Lady Louise is not a "princess." That's because, according to the Daily Express, her parents decided not to give their children the royal titles. Sophie told The Sunday Times that the couple wanted "to bring [Lady Louise and her brother] up with the understanding that they are very likely to have to work for a living." That down-to-earth attitude is the exact opposite of what you'd expect from someone in the royal family, but that's what makes Lady Louise so cool. 

Lady Louise also competes in the equestrian sport of carriage driving (via Hello! magazine). You could even say she's a "horse girl." That's something she has in common with her grandmother. The two "can often be found riding their ponies alone together," according to New Idea. Those moments together most likely contribute to why Lady Louise is the favorite, because the Queen often imparts "a lot of wisdom on her granddaughter" during those rides. Not only is she getting to ride horses with her grandmother, but she's getting the inside scoop from the Queen herself. That's better than any season of The Crown on Netflix.