Independent lady! Louise Windsor, 19, gets behind the wheel of a Volkswagen Polo for a solo ride as she heads for carriage trials
Lady Louise Windsor was spotted behind the wheel of a car today as she headed for a carriage ride in Windsor.
The 19-year-old daughter of Prince Edward and Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, is an avid horse rider, just as her late grandfather, Prince Philip, has competed in carriage races.
Today she headed to the Marathon section of the Carriage driving Trials at Windsor before taking off in a Volkswagen Polo.
To keep things casual, Louise donned riding clothes and goggles before heading back to Bagshot Park.
Louise, the youngest granddaughter of the late Queen, is currently studying at the University of St Andrews in Scotland, her cousin Prince William’s alma and where he met the now Princess of Wales.
Lady Louise Windsor was spotted behind the wheel of a car today as she headed for a carriage ride in Windsor
Lady Louise looked confident as she took matters into her own hands as she indulged in the hobby she shared with the Duke of Edinburgh, who was instrumental in helping establish carriage as a sport in Britain.
The daughter of the Queen’s youngest child, Prince Edward, 59, inherited her love carriage from her grandfather and is said to have inherited his horses after his death.
It is believed that the late Duke of Edinburgh also taught her mother Sophie, 58, to drive a team of horses, as the family shared a love for the animals.
After his retirement, Philip had more time to enjoy carriage riding, which had been one of his favorite pastimes since the 1970s.
The 19-year-old daughter of Prince Edward and Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, is an equestrian enthusiast as her late grandfather, Prince Philip, has competed in carriage races
He raced carriages near Norfolk before going on to represent Great Britain in several world and European championships.
In May 2017, Prince Philip spoke about how he took up carriage driving when he stopped playing polo at the age of 50.
He said, ‘I looked around to see what was next, I didn’t know what was available.
‘And suddenly I thought, well, we have horses and carriages, so why not try it.
The late Queen’s youngest granddaughter, Louise is currently studying at the University of St Andrews in Scotland, her cousin Prince William’s alma business and where he met the now-Princess of Wales
Lady Louise looked confident as she took the reins as she indulged in the hobby she shared with the Duke of Edinburgh who was instrumental in establishing carriage as a sport in Britain
“So I borrowed four horses from the stables in London, took them to Norfolk and practiced and thought why not?”
The Duke described how he convened a committee of equestrian experts to create a set of international rules for the young driving sport.
Credited with shaping the sport in the UK, he was still competing into his eighties, representing Great Britain in three European Championships and six World Championships in total.
The sport consists of two- or four-wheeled carriages pulled by a single horse, tandem or four-in-hand team.
It involves dressage, time trials and a challenging obstacle course.
At the age of 91, the prince had the dark green carriage made of aluminum and steel according to his wishes.
He was seen driving the carriage around Windsor and other royal estates in subsequent years.