Lady Louise Windsor has shown off her riding prowess at a national competition after inheriting her love of horses from her late grandmother, the Queen.
The 21-year-old royal was spotted today at the British Carriagedriving National Championships at the Ashfields Carriage and Polo Club, near Great Dunmow, Essex.
The daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh was all smiles as she confidently led her sleek brown horse around the concourse.
She looked assured in the driver’s seat of her four-wheel carriage, completely focused as she raised her whip on the first day of the prestigious three-day contest.
The sport sees athletes take on three disciplines: dressage, obstacle driving and marathon, a kind of cross-country test.
And the only daughter of the late Queen’s youngest child, Prince Edward, 61, and his wife Sophie, 60, is competing at its most elite level.
Lady Louise, who is the older sister to James, Earl of Wessex, 17, shares her love of horses and the outdoors with her late grandmother.
The 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.
Lady Louise Windsor (pictured) has shown off her riding prowess at a national competition after inheriting her love of horses from her late grandmother, the Queen
The 21-year-old royal was spotted looking all smiles today (pictured) at the British Carriagedriving National Championships at the Ashfields Carriage and Polo Club, near Great Dunmow, Essex
She looked assured in the driver’s seat of her four-wheel carriage, completely focused as she raised her whip (pictured) on the first day of the prestigious three-day contest
And it has long been rumoured she was the late monarch’s favourite grandchild.
Prior to the Queen’s death aged 96 in September 2022, royal expert Ingrid Seward said the ruler of more than 70 years was ‘extremely close’ with her granddaughter.
‘She is like another daughter to the Queen,’ she said.
Louise could follow in the footsteps of her cherished grandmother, with the two having been compared on a number of occasions.
Seward said of the young royal: ‘There are shades of the young Elizabeth. There is something about her – a capability. She’s obviously a very gentle young woman.’
She added Louise and her brother James ‘were the grandchildren that they saw the most’.
‘While the older ones were seen less frequently, this little girl was there every weekend’, she explained.
It was even reported Louise had no idea her grandmother was the Queen until later in life, with her parents wanting to preserve a ‘normal childhood’ for her.
The only daughter of the late Queen’s youngest child, Prince Edward , 61, and his wife Sophie, 60, is competing at the most elite level of the sport. Pictured: Louise at the Royal Windsor Horse Show in May 2022
Lady Louise, who is the older sister to James, Earl of Wessex, 17, shared her love of horses and the outdoors with her late grandmother (pictured at the Royal Windsor Horse Show in May 1968)
It has long been rumoured she was the late monarch’s favourite grandchild. Pictured: A young Louise with the late Queen at the Royal Windsor Horse Show
Her mother Sophie once revealed in an interview that as a child, Louise came home one day saying: ‘Mummy, people keep on telling me that grandma is the Queen.’
The Duchess added her daughter gained a ‘great passion’ for and a ‘natural curiosity’ about carriagedriving from her late grandfather, Prince Philip.
The Queen’s husband, who died in April 2021 aged 99, started competing in the sport in 1971 and helped greatly expand its reach, involved in writing its early rulebook.
Louise 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 taught to drive carriages by her late grandfather.
In fact, she has been hailed as the royal family‘s ‘secret weapon’, thanks to their resemblance, as well as her natural poise and down-to-earth nature.
Despite not competing in the annual 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 long-held pastime of his.
Louise gained a ‘great passion’ for and a ‘natural curiosity’ about carriagedriving from her late grandfather, Prince Philip (pictured driving a carriage with Prince Edward in the eighties)
Accomplished equestrian Louise 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. Pictured: The Queen riding a horse in the forties
He once 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 has driven her grandfather’s ponies and continues to compete as a way to keep his memory alive.
The pair shared a special bond because of the sport and he left her his carriage when he died.
As a student at St Andrews, where she is in the third year of her English degree, Louise has also been seen competing and volunteering at equestrian events
Her latest equestrian appearance comes after her participation in another carriagedriving event in recent months.
She was spotted in June enjoying a day out with her family – and her rumoured boyfriend – at The Sandringham Festival of Carriage Driving in Norfolk.
Her latest equestrian appearance comes after her participation in another carriagedriving event in recent months, at The Sandringham Festival of Carriage Driving in Norfolk (pictured, with her rumoured boyfriend Felix da Silva-Clamp, left)
Lady Louise was joined by a band of supporters, including her mother (centre, with Louise’s rumoured boyfriend Felix, left), as she competed in the annual event
During one particularly jovial moment, Louise appeared to dangle her whip into the air for Felix to clap between his hands (pictured)
Lady Louise was joined by a band of supporters – including her mother and Felix da Silva-Clamp, who she is understood to be in a relationship with – as she competed in the annual event.
Aboard a carriage, the young royal was seen driving a sleek black horse across the concourse while Felix, dressed casually in a pale blue shirt, walked alongside her.
The pair beamed as they chatted with one another.
Louise and Felix first met at St Andrew’s, with their close bond since a source of vast speculation, with many believing the two to be romantically linked.
They appeared relaxed in each other’s company at the contest, both smiling as they enjoyed a conversation.
During one particularly jovial moment, Louise appeared to dangle her whip into the air for Felix to clap between his hands.
Meanwhile, doting Sophie was seen at the perimeter of the course, snapping photos of her daughter.
Felix also appeared to get on well with the Duchess at the event, as the pair enjoyed watching Louise in action together.
But horses are not the only hobby enjoyed by the 16th in line to the throne.
In pictures released in March this year, Louise was seen taking to the stage alongside her university friends as they all starred in a play.
She is known to have taken lead roles alongside Felix, who also shares her passion for theatre.