Lady Louise Windsor isn't on a high horse at her carriage driving competitions, she's just another competitor. "You would never know who she is," Sara Howe, a carriage driving trainer based in Sevenoaks, exclusively told HELLO!. "She is just Louise."
Sara, who used to compete in the same class as Louise's late grandfather Prince Philip, sees Queen Elizabeth's youngest granddaughter out competing. According to her, Louise is "just another human being" and "that's how she wants to be treated".
"And she wants to make herself better, and what a way! What a way. She doesn't come waltzing in as 'I am, who this' and all that nonsense. None of that at all," Sara shared. "She works hard, and if it goes wrong, it goes wrong, just got to sort it out."
King Charles' 22-year-old niece, currently 17th in line to the throne, competes under the name Louise Mountbatten-Windsor. At shows, Sara revealed: "We get a list of the competitors, and if you didn't see the list, you might not even know who she was, because when she's dressed up in all her gear, we're all dressed up, so we all look very similar."
No royal treatment
Beyond the similar attire, the sport itself is an equalizer. "She's on the same keel as everyone else. No one else cares who she is. You're out there, you're competing and that's a little bit like the Duke [Prince Philip]. He's got a lot of rank, but out on that playing field, we're all on level keel, aren't we? So let the best man win," Sara said, adding: "Doesn’t matter who you are."
Louise's grandfather, Prince Philip, took up carriage driving in the early 1970s and competed in various Championships. Now his granddaughter is helping bring attention to the sport. "It's very useful for us in our driving world because our sport is so small, and we need to pull people in and hopefully people want to go and see her," Sara said. "People want to compete against her."
© Chris Jackson/Getty ImagesHer support team
Louise is often joined at competitions by her mom, the Duchess of Edinburgh, who is a carriage driver herself. "Her mother is very supportive, and her brother [James] turns up as well sometimes," Sara shared, noting that "Mum [Sophie], nine times out of ten, she turns up because, again, she's another carriage driver. She's heavily involved."
Louise's boyfriend, Felix da Silva-Clamp, has also been spotted supporting the young carriage driver. The fellow University of St Andrews student was photographed with Prince Edward and Sophie's daughter last August at the Ashfields Carriage and Polo Club.
"He's always been very supportive, but also leaves her alone to get on with the job," Sara told HELLO!, describing Louise and Felix as a "normal" couple.
© Getty ImagesThe trainer recalled Louise and her "lad" joining in at a party one evening after a busy day at the Glebe. "They join in and they help and they talk. They're just lovely," Sara said. While they have "their own privacy," Sara noted that Louise and Felix "certainly aren't put out on a pedestal and nobody can go anywhere near them. They're totally the opposite from that".
No Princess title
While Louise is the granddaughter of the late Queen, she is not a Princess, and it was Prince Edward and Sophie's decision to not use their children's HRH styles. The reason, Sophie once explained to The Sunday Times, was because they wanted to bring their kids up "with the understanding they are very likely to have to work for a living". Born the daughter of an Earl, Louise has been styled as "Lady" since her birth in 2003. When she turned 18 in 2021, Louise had the option to adopt the HRH style and title of Princess, but didn't.
Whether she had a title or not wouldn't matter on the playing field at the end of the day. As Sara told HELLO!, she's just Louise.
Photos of Lady Louise Windsor over the years...
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© Tim Graham Photo Library via GetA royal birth – November 2003
The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh leave Frimley Park Hospital with their newborn daughter, Lady Louise Windsor.
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© Getty ImagesChoo, Choo! – May 2009
Lady Louise Windsor enjoys a ride on the carousel at the Royal Windsor Horse Show.
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© WireImageRoyal Wedding carriage ride – April 2011
Prince Harry and bridesmaid Lady Louise Windsor depart Westminster Abbey following the wedding of the Prince and Princess of Wales.
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© POOL/AFP via Getty ImagesParalympic Games – September 2012
The Princess of Wales watches the rowing finals during the London 2012 Paralympic Games at Eton Dorney with Lady Louise Windsor.
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© Getty ImagesBrownie Girls Guide – June 2014
To mark the 100th anniversary of the Brownies, Lady Louise assists in hosting a tea party at Buckingham Palace in London.
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© Getty ImagesPark days – August 2015
Lady Louise Windsor chats with her mother while sitting on the grass to watch the cross-country phase of the competition. They attend day two of the Festival of British Eventing at Gatcombe Park.
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© Getty ImagesLike mother, like daughter – July 2019
The mother and daughter visit the Wild Place Project at Bristol Zoo for a summer outing.
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© Getty ImagesHockey girl – January 2020
Lady Louise Windsor attends an England Hockey team training session.
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© Chris Jackson/Getty ImagesWindsor lady - May 2022
Lady Louise Windsor smiles while attending day four of the Royal Windsor Horse Show at Replica Luxury Handbag Park in Windsor.
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© Getty ImagesE-biking – May 2024
Lady Louise Windsor zooms through Replica Luxury Handbag Park as she masters her e-bike.
