Lady Louise's love for horses that she inherited from her late grandmother the Queen - and all about the boy she met at St Andrews

Daily Mail​

14-05-2025

There's no one quite like grandma.
This is especially true for Lady Louise Windsor, Prince Edward and Sophie's only daughter.
It has long been rumoured that Louise was the Queen's favourite grandchild, with the two sharing a love of horses and the outdoors.
As Louise is due to attend this year's Royal Windsor Horse Show, she will continue her grandparents ' legacy.
Louise, an accomplished equestrian, was taught to ride at an early age and joined her father on horseback as part of the Queen's 90th birthday celebrations in Windsor in 2016.
Prior to the Queen's death, royal expert Ingrid Seward said the late monarch and her granddaughter Louise were 'extremely close'.
'She is like another daughter to the Queen,' she said.
Louise could follow in the footsteps of her closely held grandmother, with the two having been compared on a number of occasions.
Louise with her boyfriend Felix da Silva-Clamp after he hopped on her carriage for a ride in between events at Sandringham in Norfolk
Commenting on the likened nature of the two, Ingrid Seward said: 'There are shades of the young Elizabeth. There is something about her – a capability.
'She's obviously a very gentle young woman.'
Seward explained that Louise and her brother, James, Earl of Wessex, 'were the grandchildren that they saw the most'.
In comparison, 'while the older ones were seen less frequently, this little girl was there every weekend'.
It was even reported that Louise had no idea her grandmother was the Queen until later in life, with her parents wanting to preserve a 'normal childhood' for her.
Her mother, Sophie, once revealed in an interview that as a child, Louise had come home one day saying: 'Mummy, people keep on telling me that grandma is the Queen.'
Louise is also a skilled carriage driver, with Sophie saying she gained a 'great passion' and a 'natural curiosity' from her grandfather.
She made her driving debut at the age of 17 in 2021 and in 2022 she drove one of Prince Philip's carriages at the Royal Windsor Horse Show, in front of the Queen
The 21-year-old bares a striking resemblance to her late grandmother in her youth and was carriage-taught by her grandfather Prince Philip.
Despite not competing in the horse show last year, Louise was hard at work helping to organise the event.
Following his retirement, Philip had more time to enjoy carriage-driving - a favourite pasttime since the 1970s.
He raced carriages near Norfolk before going on to represent Britain at several world and European championships.
Seward said: 'Prince Philip took pleasure in watching Louise compete at the Royal Windsor Horse Show.
'He would have made sure she had some top-class tuition from one of his grooms and of course the availability of ponies and carriages to drive.'
Lady Louise now takes part in competitions and has driven her grandfather's ponies as a way to keep his memory alive.
Philip shared a special bond with Lady Louise because of the sport and left her his carriage when he died in 2021.
As a student at St Andrews, Louise has been seen competing and volunteering at equestrian events
But horses aren't the only love in Louise's life.
Last June she was photographed with Felix da Silva-Clamp as she took part in the Sandringham Horse Driving Trials in Norfolk.
After her first event, Louise took Felix for a ride around on her carriage.
He appeared to get on well with Louise's parents, beaming as he chatted to the Duchess of Edinburgh.
The two met at St Andrews, where her cousin Prince William famously met his future wife.
It is believed that Louise and Felix struck up a friendship when they were cast in a play together.
Felix was born in Kensington and is the son of solicitor Jonathan Charles William da Silva-Clamp - who contested the 2022 local Wandsworth elections as a Tory candidate for Shaftesbury and Queenstown.
Felix works in an ice cream parlour in St Andrews while undertaking his studies, according to the Daily Express.
Although Felix was born in London, he went to Melbourne Grammar School and his mother still lives in Australia.
It has been reported that Lady Louise is keen to jet off to Australia for her final year - with Macquarie University at the top of her list.
A source told the Express that due to Felix previously attending a school in Australia, studying abroad is an option he and Lady Louise are considering.
The young royal is pictured with her father Prince Edward at Windsor Castle in 2021
Louise is also said to have 'fallen in love' with Army cadets alongside her university degree - much like her father did a generation earlier.
If the royal - who has maintained a low profile during her university days - goes down the military path, she will be the first female royal since her late grandmother to do so.
Queen Elizabeth was a Junior Commander with the Auxiliary Territorial Service during the Second World War.
Elizabeth made history as the first royal woman to become a full-time member of the armed services, after she signed up within a year of turning 18.
While Louise often shies away from the spotlight, instead keeping a firm focus on her education, she may become a rising star among the younger generation of royals.