As she celebrates her 21st birthday this week, Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor is growing up into an engaging young woman. The elder child of the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh has conducted herself with elegance and grace at public events in recent years, all while continuing her studies at a prestigious university. And as she approaches her next chapter, Louise’s interests are becoming clear: she is passionate about carriage driving and also has an interest in the armed forces.
While studying English literature at St Andrews University, she has joined the Officers' Training Corps , which provides paid military training for students. She's also gaining close friendships, with fellow student Felix da Silva-Clamp a prominent presence by her side when she took part in the Sandringham Horse Driving Trials in June. All the while, she has been supporting her family at royal events, including the King's coronation in May last year.
And her parents couldn’t be prouder, with Sophie saying: ''I have to let her live her life. I can only equip her the best I can and then she has to make her own choices.'' The fact that Louise is becoming such a poised young woman is even more poignant given how she arrived in the world.
Her birth in 2003 – a month early – was by emergency Caesarean , due to placental abruption, which causes severe blood loss in both mother and child. As a precautionary measure, Louise received specialist care in the neo-natal unit at St George’s Hospital in Lon.
