It has been 10 years since the then seven-year-old Lady Louise Windsor undertook one of her first major royal engagements, acting as a flower girl at her cousin Prince William's wedding to Kate Middleton. Since then, the eldest daughter of the Earl and Countess of Wessex has largely kept out of the spotlight, growing up alongside younger brother James, Viscount Severn in Windsor, and attending local schools St George's School and St Mary's School in Ascot. Very occasionally she has accompanied her mother on official royal duties, and of course has been photographed at the weddings of her elder cousins, but all in all, she's remained low profile.
Until now, that is. The 17-year-old has stepped onto the royal stage ahead of her 18th birthday in November, appearing confidently in the BBC's new documentary, Prince Philip: The Royal Family Remembers, being interviewed alongside her cousins, parents, aunts and uncles.
Talking about her close relationship to her late grandfather, and her decision to take part in his eponymous Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme, 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. I definitely hope I have made him proud.
'I'd always wanted to do it because of the skills you develop as a result,' she continued: ‘My favourite part was my expeditions. Just having that level of independence and self sufficiency and having that sense of achievement when it was finished.’
Elsewhere she spoke about their shared love of carriage-driving, a sport she is said to excel at: '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.
'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.'
It is believed that Lady Louise inherited the Duke's carriage when he died, though the royal family has not confirmed the reports.
In November, when the royal turns 18, she may decide to start styling herself as Her Royal Highness Princess Louise, in the same way her cousins Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie do. When she was born, her parents decided not to give her a royal title, instead styling their children as the offspring of a duke, in order to help them grow up out of the spotlight.
