Lady Louise Windsor Drove Herself to Windsor Great Park — and the Reason Goes Back to Prince Philip

Lady Louise is keeping a special part of Prince Philip’s legacy alive, and her latest outing shows just how close their shared passion was.

Lady Louise Windsor recently took part in a sporting event at Windsor Great Park, showing off a passion she has had for years. But there’s a sweet family connection behind her latest outing, and it goes back to her late grandfather, Prince Philip.

Louise was photographed taking part in the final carriage-driving meet of the season at Windsor Great Park on October 4. The 22-year-old even drove herself to the event, where she was later joined by her parents, Prince Edward and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, for support. 

The young royal has been around horses since she was little, but carriage driving became a particularly meaningful part of her life thanks to the late Prince. Her grandfather played a major role in bringing the sport to a wider audience in the U.K., and she learned from him firsthand. When Phillip died in April 2021, he left Louise his own carriage and horses.

Louise has continued to compete in the years since. Last month she took part in the National British Carriage Driving Championships. She also participated in the cross-country marathon with Balmoral Bertie, one of the ponies her grandfather once owned and loved. 

Louise previously opened up about her grandfather’s influence on her carriage driving. Speaking in a 2021 documentary following Philip’s death, she recalled, “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.” She continued, “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.”

Outside of carriage driving, Louise has also entered a new chapter this year. She graduated from the University of St Andrews in July with an English degree and is now taking a gap year to consider what she wants to do next. Moreover, Louise has also kept a relatively low-key position within the royal family. She and her younger brother, James, Earl of Wessex, did not adopt the HRH style when they turned 18, and she is not currently a working royal.

Previously, Sophie explained to the Sunday Times, “We try to bring them up with the understanding they are very likely to have to work for a living. Hence, we made the decision not to use HRH titles.”