Lady Louise Windsor, daughter of Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex and Sophie, Countess of Wessex, grew up away from the public eye. As the Queen's youngest granddaughter, she attended royal functions, developed a close relationship with Prince Philip, and hit it off at carriage races (she recalled in the BBC documentary Prince Philip: The Royal Family Remembers how (She recalls how intimidating Prince Philip was on the subject in the BBC documentary Prince Philip: The Royal Family Remembers). But with his 18th birthday coming up on November 8, that may change.

In a 2020 interview with The Times (opens in new tab), Countess Sophie discussed the family's decision to keep Louise and Louise's 13-year-old brother, James, out of the spotlight until they are ready. For example, Louise will receive the title of Princess on her birthday, but Louise must decide for herself if that is the right thing to do. 'We are trying to raise these girls with the understanding that they will most likely have to work for a living,' Sophie told the magazine. 'That's why we chose not to use the HRH title; we could have used it starting at age 18, but I don't think that's likely.'

Particularly unlikely is the fact that, according to Express UK, no royal has ever changed their title on their 18th birthday. Royal family expert Marlene Koenig told Express UK that it was more likely to be the Queen's decision than Louise's, but the magazine also reported that Louise is rumored to be Her Majesty's favorite grandchild.

Indeed, in the same interview, Countess Sophie said she hoped Louise would follow a more traditional path after taking A-level exams that would allow her to enter a British university. 'She's studying hard and she'll take her A-levels. I want her to go to university. I won't force her, but if she wants to. She's very smart."

But whether she takes on a new title or remains Lady Louise Windsor, there is no doubt that her role in the royal family is about to grow. After showing great maturity and comfort in front of the camera in her first media interview for the aforementioned Prince Philip documentary, there was speculation that she might become the queen's "secret weapon" in the younger generation of the royal family.

The Express also reported that there is plenty of room for Lady Louise when it comes to taking on more active royal duties. In particular, Lady Louise would take the Queen's place when the Queen is unable to attend royal functions. As a result, we may see her more often in the future.

Whatever Lady Louise does in the future, we wish her a very happy birthday!