The Untold Truth Of Lady Louise Alice Elizabeth Mary Mountbatten-Windsor

When we think of the royal family, we typically consider Queen Elizabeth II, King Charles III, Prince William and Harry, and of course, their late mother, Princess Diana. But the royal family is far more extensive than the few people that we see in the headlines time and time again. One such royal who doesn't spend a ton of time in the spotlight is Lady Louise Alice Elizabeth Mary Mountbatten-Windsor — that's a mouthful! The eldest daughter of Prince Edward and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, Louise is a budding member of the family, who is seen as a huge asset to the royals.

Louise hasn't spent a ton of time in the public eye, but when she has, she's always behaved with a palpable amount of royal etiquette and charm. She was a bridesmaid at Prince William and Princess Catherine's 2011 wedding when she was a young royal and has been spotted many times over the years at several royal events. As a young woman, Louise is, without a doubt, a royal to watch, and seems to have a bright future within Britain's royal family. Here is the untold truth of Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor.

Royal births are a big deal, there's no doubt about it. It seemed like the entire world was on edge when Princess Catherine was expecting her first child, Prince George. But things weren't so planned and expected when Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor was born to Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, and Prince Edward. As noted by the BBC in 2003, Louise was born a month early and weighed just 4 pounds 9 ounces.

As it turned out, Sophie was experiencing intense cramps at home and called an ambulance to take her to the hospital. Louise was born via emergency C-section and was immediately taken to Frimley Park Hospital. Because the baby was born so early and under such unexpected circumstances, Edward wasn't even there. As reported by the BBC, he was on an official trip to Mauritius and quickly made plans to travel home.

It was quite the unexpected delivery, and both Sophie and Louise — who were described as stable at the time — stayed in the hospital "as a precaution." Talk about an entrance.

Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor was born a month premature, and as such, she developed a condition called strabismus, which may impact the ability to see. According to the American Optometric Association, if the condition is not treated, it can result in a "lazy eye" where the brain starts to ignore signals from the eyes. Louise's diagnosis inspired her mother, Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, to get involved in the awareness of this condition and has since advocated for children who are visually impaired.

As a child, Louise reportedly had a very impactful squint, though her vision has improved with time. "Her squint was quite profound when she was tiny and it takes time to correct it," Sophie said (via Express). "You've got to make sure one eye doesn't become more dominant than the other but she's fine now — her eyesight is perfect." It remains unclear whether Louise's condition fixed itself with time, or if she had an operation to correct it, but nevertheless, it has inspired her mother to advocate for those who have the same condition and similar vision difficulties.

It's difficult to know how we'd react if we found out that one of our relatives was a queen (although it would probably look like Mia Thermopolis in "The Princess Diaries" with an unabashed "Shut up"). But, apparently, Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor didn't realize that her grandmother was the queen of England. In an interview, Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, relayed the story of how Louise found out just who her grandmother was. Louise came home from school one day and told her mom that classmates were telling her that her grandmother was the queen. "And I asked her, 'Yes, how does that make you feel?' And she said, 'I don't understand,'" Sophie told the BBC (via Now to Love).

It was clear that the revelation was a bit of a shock to Louise. Maybe she thought that all grandmas were queens, which, if so, how cute is that? Sophie continued by saying, "I don't think she had grasped that perhaps there was only one queen," when concluding the story. Of course, Louise is fully aware of her royal lineage now, but the sweet way she found out about her grandmother's true identity is lovely.

Some aspects of the royal family and the institution at large are quite archaic, and until it was amended, the rule that a younger brother would circumvent his older sister in the line of succession was enforced. As such, although Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor is older than her brother, James Mountbatten-Windsor, Viscount Severn, he is ahead of her in the line of succession to the British throne. 

The Succession to the Crown Act, which halted the gender-based rule, was not implemented until 2013, after both Louise and James were born. The act states that all royal family members born after October 28, 2011, would benefit — leaving Louise out of the loop, so to speak. The act, at one point, was of heightened importance, as Princess Charlotte was not overtaken by her younger brother, Prince Louis, in the line of succession after he was born. She's not the only young royal to have benefitted from the act. Zara Tindall's daughters, Mia and Lena, also maintained their positions, even after their younger brother, Lucas, was born.

Unfortunately, Louise was born too early — before the cutoff date — to benefit from the act. As heirs are born, she will continue to move down the line of succession.

There is something to be said about the bond between a grandfather and granddaughter, and Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor and the late Prince Philip were very close. The two shared several passions, namely their interest in horses. Philip was often seen at Louise's equestrian events, just as he was for his daughter, Princess Anne, and the two seemed to share a very special bond. Philip died in April 2021, and as such, left many sentimental gifts to his young granddaughter. 

Philip left his two Fell horses, Balmoral Nevis and Notlaw Storm, to Louise. In addition, he gifted her his own four-wheeled carriage, the same carriage used during his funeral procession. Philip often used the carriage while he stayed at Windsor Castle. His choice to leave such an item to her has been interpreted by some as his subtle way of encouraging her pursuits. Since the carriage was used during Philip's funeral to carry his cap and gloves, it's safe to say that it was an incredibly special gift for Louise to receive.

Queen Elizabeth II had eight grandchildren, ranging from their 40s down to their teens. Some of the queen's most high-profile grandchildren include Prince William and Prince Harry, but it was Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor who had a special place in the queen's heart. 

As noted by The Sun, Louise was reportedly the queen's favorite grandchild, given their common interests, their summers spent together, and Louise's kind nature. In 2019, a royal insider told the publication, "The queen loves the fact that Louise and [her younger brother James Mountbatten-Windsor] relish their time at Balmoral, and she has become particularly close to Louise ... Louise also endeared herself to everyone by looking after William and Kate's children when they were up here."

Louise reportedly stepped up to the babysitting plate — like all good older cousins do — when Princess Charlotte visited the queen. Louise apparently has a talent for drawing and extended her time and patience to encourage the little princess to draw while she visited her great-grandmother. The gesture clearly made a big impact on the monarch, who looked very favorably on her granddaughter.

Even if you don't consider yourself a royal fan, you most likely know that the British royal family is steeped in drama. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle made a name for themselves when they aired their regal dirty laundry in an exclusive interview with Oprah Winfrey and in Harry's memoir "Spare," and Prince Andrew is consistently under fire for the sexual abuse allegations against him. So, it doesn't come as a huge surprise that Queen Elizabeth II saw Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor as a huge asset, mostly due to her calm demeanor, dedication, and kind nature.

Royal biographer Ingrid Seward told Express that Louise "has shown in the past she can handle gracefully difficult situations," a trait that is sure to come in handy. "She has always been an asset to the family and very polite which the Queen loves," Seward said, pointing to a situation at Princess Eugenie's wedding in which Louise took charge of the little bridesmaids. Not only did she assist, but she suffered a bit of an outfit snafu and walked it off like a pro.

There are some strong genes in the royal family. For instance, Prince William looked like the spitting image of his mother, Princess Diana, when he was young. Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis have sibling similarities. But when it comes to Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor, she resembles none other than her late grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II. 

As Express noted, the young royal looks remarkably similar to the queen when she was young, with royal commentator Camilla Tominey commenting on the similarities in 2021. "Lady Louise bears a striking resemblance to a young Princess Elizabeth, and is said to share something of her character, too," Tominey assessed. An insider also told the publication that, like her grandmother, Louise is "studious ... conscientious and straightforward," all qualities that Elizabeth embodies — just think of all the years that Elizabeth was on the throne and all the aspects of life she has had to oversee. "There is something about her — a capability," the insider shared. "She's obviously a very gentle young woman." Louise's similar looks and traits may explain why she and the queen get along so well.

The royal family is known for its collective interest in hobbies such as horse riding, polo, and hunting, and it looks as though Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor has followed suit. According to her mother, Louise is a skilled carriage driver and has carved quite a space for herself within the activity. Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, spoke about her daughter's skillset during a virtual appearance at the Royal Windsor Horse Show in 2020. "To actually participate in the horse show you know, has been a really special thing for her to do," Sophie said of her daughter (via Woman & Home).

Sophie boasted that her daughter's skill set is a natural talent and that she absolutely outshines the rest of the family. "I trail in her wake frankly," Sophie said. "No, she is naturally so good at it, she really is. It's something that she has taken to very well." School, however, did get in the way of Louise's passion. Sophie revealed that Louise took a break from carriage driving to carve out time for studying, which kept her away from the Royal Windsor Horse Show. The show was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, so it turned out that Louise didn't miss out on much.

The public always gets to witness the British royal family interact with each other. As such, body language expert Judi James shared her thoughts with Express regarding the dynamic between Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor and her mother, Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh.

As Louise has gotten older, Sophie has reportedly taken a couple of steps back in order for her daughter to branch out on her own. This is shown in her body language toward the young royal and is an aspect of their relationship that James picked up on. "Sophie's confidence signals show her as being the more socially active one in the team dynamic," James said. "Her encouraging and proud smile is teamed with the kind of spatial gap you'd get between friends ... This allows Sophie's daughter to be seen and to feel like a confident adult in public." 

James also highlighted the smiles that are often cast between Sophie and Louise, assessing that the pair share a friendship as well as a mother-daughter bond. Additionally, James suggested that Sophie knows how to avoid being "overprotective" of Louise and is happy to let her strike out on her own.

The term "royal family" doesn't exactly allow for a lot of normalcy. When you think about it, it's a little weird for the world to know everything that a family says or does, regardless of whether they're part of one of the most high-profile institutions. But a keen eye on privacy is something that Prince Edward and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, are keyed into. As such, they have done everything they can to give Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor a normal life.

In 2020, Sophie shared an update with The Sunday Times Magazine (via Express) on Louise, opening up about how ordinary her day-to-day life is. "[Louise and James] go to a regular school. They go to friends for sleepovers and parties," said Sophie. "At weekends we do lots of dog walking and stay with friends." Sophie went on to share that when Louise was with the queen, she wasn't with the ruler of the Commonwealth, but with her grandmother.

It's safe to say that Louise has absolutely benefitted from her parents' family values and lifestyle. We're excited to see what this royal accomplishes in the future.

The British royal family has been known to indulge in a lavish lifestyle, and many of its members have the receipts to prove it. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle shelled out a whopping $14.7 million for a Montecito mansion that, as Meghan told The Cut, made them feel "joy." For that price, we sure hope it does. Meanwhile, according to a 2009 report in the Daily Mail, Princess Eugenie spent £100,000 exploring destinations like India and Thailand.

Unlike her older cousins, Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor seems to be cut of much simpler cloth. Rather than spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on expensive items or getaways, Louise has actually tried to make some money. The young aristocrat is not afraid to get her hands dirty — literally. As reported by The Sun, Louise spent her last summer before heading off to St. Andrew's University toiling away at a garden center, where she was likely earning a minimum wage. It's believed that her responsibilities included greeting customers, pruning the plants, and even tilling the soil.

While people of a previous generation might not believe it appropriate for the granddaughter of Queen Elizabeth II to perform manual labor, many royal fans found Louise's work life to be refreshing. As one satisfied customer told The Sun, "She is a really modest and sweet young woman who is polite and attentive to customers. She seemed to be loving the job."

Working a minimum wage job is not the only way that Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor has made herself more sympathetic to the British public. The blue-blooded beauty has also been known to don hand-me-downs to royal events — rather than the latest and greatest brand-name wear. This was apparent at the 2022 Commonwealth Games when Louise showed up in a gorgeous patterned sun dress. Royal fashion fans found her outfit familiar, and before long, it came out that the dress, which was designed by Peter Pilotto, actually belonged to Louise's mother, Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh. Sophie had worn the piece seven years before to the Chelsea Flower Show.

Of course, this was far from being the only occasion that Louise rocked her mother's clothes. In 2019, Louise attended the Christmas Day church service in Sandringham wearing a classic checkered Stella McCartney coat belonged to her mom. Interestingly, Sophie had also worn the piece to a church service in Sandringham — albeit on New Year's Eve in 2017. There was also an incident in early 2023 when Louise wore a navy Hayfield fedora hat that Sophie had last used in 2021. 

Although we cannot say for sure why Louise has chosen to wear so many hand-me-downs, the reality is that this decision has made her easier to relate to. In light of the British cost-of-living crisis, Louise has come across as a sensible and discreet young royal.

The world often sees Prince William and Princess Catherine's children, who are all direct heirs to the British throne. But the children of Prince Edward and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, are rarely seen in the spotlight. As Express noted, this could be directly linked to Edward and Sophie's wish for privacy. Even though Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor is an adult, she's only ever seen during official royal events.

Edward has spoken about his desire to keep his kids out of the headlines. As his importance in the royal family increases, the chances of Louise and her brother being available for scrutiny also increase. "This desire to protect his children's privacy might sound natural but given Sophie and his current elevation through the ranks of the Firm and their much higher profile as a result it could be a personal challenge for Edward to ensure that any desire for privacy is respected," body language expert Judi James told Express when analyzing the dynamic between Louise and her parents. That privacy is certainly being extended to Louise, who is often only ever seen with one of her parents.

At the end of the day, Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor is easy for a lot of royal fans to relate to. As a result, it seems, there are more and more people who would like to see the young aristocrat take a larger role in palace life. As reported by Hello!, several social media users have shared their opinions on the matter. Apparently, one of Louise's enthusiastic supporters wrote, "I hope Lady Louise and her brother decide to be working royals after uni." Another chimed in, "Her Uncle Charles needs to make Lady Louise a working royal. She is poised, smart and elegant!"

Interestingly, casual fans are not the only ones who want to see Louise take on a bigger role. In fact, at least one royal expert has seemingly expressed enthusiasm toward the idea. On an episode of the podcast, "The Royal Beat" (via Woman & Home), former Mail on Sunday editor, Kate Mansey, shared her opinion that Louise would make a fantastic working royal. "I remember going to some Guildhall event and she was with her father and very competently circulating talking to dignitaries and foreign royals ... I think there might be a role, in the way that Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie play a role."

Royal body language expert, Judi James, is not the only person who seems to believe that Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor will choose to lead a normal life. According to a report in The Sun, one of the blond aristocrat's closest friends agrees with this assessment. Speaking to the outlet, an insider close to Louise's family stated, "Louise will always be a member of the royal family, just not a 'professional' full-time working royal. She's more like Zara Tindall and her brother Peter Phillips — they have their royal birthright but are not hands-on 'balcony royals.'"

The reason for this choice might have something to do with Louise's unusual upbringing. Unlike other royals of her generation, Louise studied at a fairly typical British school. She was also encouraged to enjoy inexpensive hobbies, like going on walks or attending slumber parties. As the same family friend told The Sun, "Louise is a lovely, genuine, down-to-earth girl with no sense of entitlement ... She does not see any need to use the 'adornments', as she calls them, which can often attract more attention than they are worth."

Ultimately, just because Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor has the potential to be a wonderful working royal, does not mean that she necessarily wants to be one. While there is still no way to know how Louise feels about this possibility, her body language could leave us with a hint or two. According to nonverbal communication specialist, Judi James, Louise does not seem too keen on following in her parents' royal footsteps. Speaking to Express about this matter, James revealed, "Louise hasn't used some of the more traditional rituals of royalty like the royal smile and this has always suggested that she plans to take the option of a more normal life."

In James' view, the reason for Louise's apparent hesitation to take the royal route could have something to do with her more timid personality. As the body language expert noted in her interview with Express, Louise has a history of shyness — which could still be propelling her away from the limelight. James said, "Her shyness signals have diminished and recently, although she has shown no signals of any desire to seek the spotlight she looks relatively comfortable when she is in it." 

That being said, the young aristocrat's body language does still demonstrate the ability to grow into a leader. As James put it, "She projects an intelligent and calming presence with what looks like leadership traits."

If Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor seems to be totally different from her royal cousins, that might just be because she is. As the 13th in line to the British throne, the young aristocrat is not exactly the highest-ranking member of the royal family. One of the biggest factors separating Louise from the likes of Princess Beatrice or Princess Eugenie is that she does not have a princess title.

Interestingly, though, it has been suggested that Louise actually had the opportunity to become a princess — but chose against it. In 2020, the aristocrat's mother, Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, told The Sunday Times, "We try to bring them up with the understanding they are very likely to have to work for a living. Hence we made the decision not to use HRH titles. They have them and can decide to use them from 18, but I think it's highly unlikely."

After Sophie made these comments, royal fans awaited Louise's 18th birthday with all kinds of anticipation. As the day grew closer and closer, people began to speculate that Louise would become a princess ... while others assumed she would simply maintain the status quo. In the end, Louise's titles did not change, and some royal experts began to question whether she really had the right to choose at all. As historian, Marlene Koenig, told Express, there is "no precedent" for young royals to choose their own titles.