Prince Edward and Duchess Sophie are two of the busiest members of the Royal Family, carrying out engagements around the world on behalf of Edward’s brother, King Charles. While the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh are full-time working royals, there is much speculation about whether their children, Lady Louise and James, the Earl of Wessex, will take on formal roles one day. At the moment, neither Louise, 21, or James, 17, carry out official royal engagements, and royal biographer Sean Smith recently told GB News that is unlikely to change.
Smith, author of Sophie: Saving the Royal Family, said, “I think Sophie—and Edward—have been careful to prepare their children for a life outside the working Royal Family.” Lady Louise is currently entering her final year at the University of St Andrews, where she studies English, while the Earl of Wessex attends all-boys boarding school Radley College in Oxfordshire.
As for King Charles or the future King William asking Lady Louise and her brother to jump in and help with royal duties, Smith said Prince Edward and Duchess Sophie would not expect their children to follow in their footsteps. “I am confident that there will not be any pressure on Louise and James,” he told the media outlet.
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Lady Louise (front left) is seen with mom Duchess Sophie, brother James (back left) and dad Prince Edward on Christmas Day 2024.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
The Earl of Wessex (second from left) and Lady Louise (third from left) joined the Royal Family on the balcony for King Charles and Queen Camilla’s coronation.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Sophie: Saving the Royal Family
While the Earl of Wessex joined his family to walk to church on Christmas Day last year and attended King Charles and Queen Camilla’s 2023 coronation, he’s rarely seen at public events. Meanwhile, Louise is also busy with her studies, but makes slightly more appearances, having joined her parents on the balcony for Trooping the Colour in 2024.
Reflecting on what Lady Louise’s future career might be, Smith said, “Louise is the only young woman of her age in the Royal Family, and I am sure she will be a great success at whatever she decides to do. It’s too soon to speculate, but that won’t stop us all doing so.”
One thing we do know about the 21-year-old is that she’s a talented carriage driver, a passion she inherited from her late grandfather, Prince Philip. Lady Louise was seen with her rumored university boyfriend, Felix da Silva-Clamp, at the National Carriage Driving Championships in Essex, England, on August 30.
According to Hello!, a source said that the St Andrews student was “cheering and clapping from the sidelines” for Louise and he “did a fist pump as she went through the water.” The outlet added that the “protective” friend also joined Lady Louise for a “nice lunch” ahead of her competition.
