Why Lady Louise Windsor could become a Princess in a matter of months

Lady Louise Windsor could be set to become a royal Princess in a matter of months, as the Queen's granddaughter approaches her eighteenth birthday.

• Lady Louise Windsor is the eldest daughter of Prince Edward and Sophie, Countess of Wessex, though she is not currently referred to as a Princess.
• This could be set to change in the autumn when the Queen’s granddaughter turns eighteen. 
• In other royal news, we share 9 amusing Prince George photos, just because it's his birthday. 

Lady Louise Windsor might be 15th in the royal line of succession, even sitting above the Queen's second child, Princess Anne, but she is not currently entitled to the style of Princess. Lady Louise’s parents Prince Edward and Sophie, Countess of Wessex are rumored to be the Queen's "favorites" and married in a beautiful ceremony in 1999. When the royal couple tied the knot, the Queen bestowed upon them their current titles as Earl and Countess of Wessex.

A Buckingham Palace statement released at the time also confirmed that their future children would be styled as the children of an Earl, not of a Prince. This meant that both their daughter Lady Louise and son James, Viscount Severn, did not automatically become Princess and Prince when they were born. However, this could all change this autumn, as Lady Louise will celebrate her eighteenth birthday on November 8. 

Although currently styled as the daughter of an Earl, letters patent, issued in 1917 which still remain in force today, state that a princely status and the style of Royal Highness, is assigned to all male-line grandchildren of a monarch.

As the Queen’s daughter via her youngest son Prince Edward, it’s understood that Louise could technically style herself as a Princess after turning eighteen. Her mother, Sophie, Countess of Wessex, however, has previously opened up about her and Prince Edward’s decision to leave this choice up to Louise and James. 

During an interview with The Sunday Times earlier this year, Sophie explained, “We try to educate them with the understanding that they will most likely have to work for a living."

“That is why we made the decision not to use HRH titles,” she continued. "They have them and can decide to use them after 18, but I think it is very unlikely.”

Whilst the Countess of Wessex might consider it “unlikely” that her children will go on to regularly use their princely titles, Lady Louise could technically become HRH Princess Louise, similarly to how her cousins Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie are known. 

This comes amid rumors that her uncle Prince Charles and Prince Edward are caught in a “royal rift” over the Duke of Edinburgh title. After Prince Philip passed away at Windsor Castle in April, the title passed to Prince Charles. 

However, ahead of Edward and Sophie’s wedding back in 1999, it was also announced that in addition to becoming Earl of Wessex, Edward would one day take on the Duke of Edinburgh title. Now speculation has arisen after claims were recently made that the title might not be passed on by Prince Charles as expected. 

It is still officially unknown who could receive this prestigious title in the future, whilst Prince Edward's daughter Lady Louise Windsor now reflects on the big decision of whether or not to use her HRH style.