Meet Prince Edward and Duchess Sophie’s two children as they begin life beyond the royal spotlight

At 22 and 18, Lady Louise Windsor and James, Earl of Wessex are entering a new chapter of their lives, with university behind or underway and their futures taking shape away from the centre of royal life.

The children of the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh have grown up with considerably less public attention than many of their royal cousins. Now, as Louise takes a gap year following her graduation from the University of St Andrews and James begins studying at the Royal Agricultural University, both are gradually finding their own paths.

Prince Edward and Sophie married at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, on 19 June 1999. Their two children were born four years apart: Lady Louise on 8 November 2003 and James on 17 December 2007. The Royal Family confirms that the family lives at Bagshot Park in Berkshire.

A childhood largely away from the spotlight

Unlike some of their royal cousins, Louise and James had a relatively private upbringing.

Their parents made a conscious effort to keep the children out of the public eye while they were growing up. For much of their childhood, appearances were limited to major family occasions and a small number of official engagements.

That began to change as they grew older. Both have increasingly accompanied Edward and Sophie at important royal events, including the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations, Queen Elizabeth II’s state funeral and the coronation of King Charles III.

They have also appeared together at Christmas services in Sandringham, where their close sibling relationship has often been visible.

The two have also grown up without using the styles of Prince or Princess. Although Louise became eligible to use the title Princess Louise when she turned 18 in 2021, she has chosen not to do so.

The same approach applies to James. When his 18th birthday arrived, he did not adopt the style Prince James.

The official Royal Family website currently lists James, Earl of Wessex as 17th in line to the throne and Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor as 18th. This differs from older descriptions that placed Louise ahead of her brother.

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Lady Louise Windsor

Lady Louise Windsor, born on 8 November 2003, is Prince Edward and Sophie’s eldest child.

Her arrival was unexpectedly difficult. Louise was born prematurely at Frimley Park Hospital in Surrey at 11.32pm following a placental abruption, a serious complication in which the placenta separates from the womb before birth.

She was delivered by caesarean section, and the complications resulted in significant blood loss for both mother and daughter. Louise was subsequently transferred to St George’s Hospital in Tooting as a precaution while Sophie remained at Frimley Park to recover.

Prince Edward was not at the hospital when Louise was born because he was on an official visit to Mauritius.

Louise overcame an early eye condition

Louise was also born with esotropia, a condition in which one or both eyes turn inward.

She underwent an operation in 2006 in an attempt to correct the condition, although the first procedure was unsuccessful. Further treatment in 2013 successfully corrected the problem.

As she grew older, Louise began appearing more regularly alongside her parents and other members of the Royal Family.

One of her most memorable early public appearances came in 2011, when she was seven and served as a bridesmaid at the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton. The Royal Family officially confirmed her place in the bridal party ahead of the 29 April ceremony.

She has also travelled overseas with her family, including on a trip to South Africa.

For her 15th birthday in 2018, Louise and Sophie attended Strictly Come Dancing as members of the audience, giving the teenager a rare glimpse of a more ordinary family celebration.

A growing presence at major royal occasions

As Louise moved into adulthood, she became increasingly visible at significant moments in the Royal Family’s calendar.

She attended the memorial service for her grandfather, Prince Philip, took part in the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations and joined her family for Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral in 2022.

Louise and James also stood vigil around their grandmother’s coffin alongside other members of the Royal Family.

Louise shared a particularly close connection with Prince Philip and inherited his passion for carriage driving.

After his death in 2021, Philip’s personal carriage and driving ponies were given to Louise, allowing her to continue a pastime they both enjoyed.

Carriage driving has since become one of the most recognisable aspects of Louise’s life. She has regularly been photographed competing and training, and in August 2026 she returned to competition at the Glebe Estate Carriage Driving Trials in West Sussex. Her boyfriend, Felix da Silva-Clamp, was there to support her.

University life and a new gap year

Louise studied at the University of St Andrews, where she completed her degree before graduating in 2026.

Her university years also brought her into the spotlight in a different way. Felix da Silva-Clamp, a fellow St Andrews student, has been seen supporting her at several important events, including her graduation and her Duke of Edinburgh’s Gold Award ceremony.

In July 2026, Louise received the Gold Award from her father, Prince Edward, at the Palace of Holyroodhouse.

She is now taking a gap year, with plans to work, volunteer and travel before deciding on her next step.

Louise has also explored military training. During her time at St Andrews, she joined the university’s Officers’ Training Corps and was photographed taking part in military exercises in combat fatigues and camouflage.

Despite being a granddaughter of Queen Elizabeth II, Louise has continued to keep a relatively low profile. She has chosen not to use the Princess title available to her and is not expected to become a working member of the Royal Family.

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James, Earl of Wessex

James, Earl of Wessex was born on 17 December 2007, four years after his sister.

His birth was also by caesarean section at Frimley Park Hospital in Surrey, but unlike Louise’s premature arrival, James’s birth was considerably less complicated.

Prince Edward was present for the birth. Speaking afterwards, he described his newborn son as being like most babies: small, cute and cuddly.

James is the youngest grandchild of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip.

From Viscount Severn to Earl of Wessex

For most of his childhood, James was known as Viscount Severn.

The title reflected his mother’s Welsh family heritage and was the title he held from birth.

That changed in 2023, when Prince Edward was made Duke of Edinburgh by King Charles III. The Dukedom was conferred on Edward for his lifetime, and his son subsequently became James, Earl of Wessex, taking the title his father had previously held.

The change did not mean James automatically became Duke of Edinburgh. The dukedom granted to his father is a lifetime title rather than an inherited one, so there is no automatic succession of the title to James.

He has also chosen not to use the style Prince James now that he is an adult.

Growing into a more public role

Like Louise, James spent most of his childhood away from the public gaze.

One of his earliest major public appearances came when he was four, when he joined members of the Royal Family at the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant.

He later travelled with his family to South Africa and gradually became a more familiar face at major royal occasions.

In recent years, James has appeared at the Jubilee celebrations, Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral and the coronation of King Charles III.

His public appearances have become noticeably more frequent as he has approached adulthood. In 2026, he attended the Easter service, the wedding of Harriet and Peter Phillips and made his Royal Ascot debut.

James has also remained close to his sister. The pair have often been photographed together at royal gatherings, including Christmas services and major family occasions.

Their low-key approach to royal life has remained consistent even as their public responsibilities have increased.

A new direction at the Royal Agricultural University

James completed his A-levels at Radley College before moving on to university.

In 2026, he began studying Rural Land & Property Management at the Royal Agricultural University.

The course is a three-year full-time degree covering areas including rural professional practice, planning and development, law, valuation, construction and the management of rural businesses. The university lists the 2026-27 academic year as beginning on 28 September.

His choice of subject also has a clear connection with his family’s long-standing interest in the countryside and rural life, while giving him a path that exists outside the formal duties of a working royal.

Two royal children, two independent paths

Lady Louise and James have grown up within one of Britain’s most famous families, but their parents have largely allowed them to develop outside the intense public scrutiny that accompanies the lives of senior working royals.

Louise has completed her university education, received her Duke of Edinburgh’s Gold Award and continued to pursue her interest in carriage driving. Her gap year will give her time to work, volunteer and travel before deciding what comes next.

James, meanwhile, has reached adulthood and started university, studying Rural Land & Property Management at the Royal Agricultural University.

Neither has chosen to use a Prince or Princess title, and neither is expected to take on a full programme of royal duties.

For Edward and Sophie, that means watching both children move into adulthood with increasingly separate lives of their own, while still appearing alongside the wider Royal Family for the occasions that matter most.