Lady Louise Windsor has a close bond with her fellow royal family members, and one of those may surprise you.
In an exclusive interview with HELLO!, her adoring godfather, Lord Ivar Mountbatten, King Charles' second cousin, revealed his close friendship with his goddaughter's parents, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, and how they stay in touch.
"Lady Louise and I text a lot," he said, adding, "But that's about it. Young people are always very busy!"
© Tim Graham Photo Library via GetWhile Ivar - who made history as the first member of the extended British royal family to be in a same sex marriage following his wedding to his devoted husband James Coyle - is godfather to Lady Louise, Prince Edward is also godfather to his daughter Ella, whom he shares with his ex-wife, Penny.
He told HELLO's news editor, Laura Benjamin: "Edward and Sophie are clearly good friends, and quite often when Sophie comes down to Devon, she will stay here with us. She always used to stay at Bridwell, but she's also stayed in the farmhouse," Ivar says. "Then, in the winter, we go up and stay with them for weekends."
In another sign of the bond between the families, Ivar and his former wife, Penny, named Prince Edward as godfather to their daughter, Ella. Penny served as the best man, having given the couple her full support, and Ivar has said that she has become a close friend of James’s.
© Euan Cherry/Peacock via Getty ImDespite their divorce, Ivar said he and Penny remain on excellent terms, with his ex-wife living nearby.
"Divorce is never much fun at the best of times, but we have always been good friends," Ivar says. "We didn't have any real differences.
"Penny knew I was gay; I told her before we got married and I think she felt she could change me. Ultimately, she couldn't, and I think she wanted something more than perhaps I could give her.
"As divorces go, it was relatively amicable. She has bought a farmhouse close by and she gets on very well with James. Whenever I can't find him, he's likely to be having a cup of tea with Penny – probably bitching about me." Read the full interview here.
© Getty ImagesPremature birth
Lady Louise was born a full month early at Frimley Park Hospital in Surrey on 8 November 2003. Her early arrival brought serious complications, including an emergency C-section, with Louise weighing just 4 lbs 9 oz. Furthermore, due to a placental abruption, both she and Duchess Sophie suffered significant blood loss during the delivery.
Royal secrets
She was unaware that her grandma, Elizabeth, was the Queen until her school friends broke the news to her. Duchess Sophie told the BBC in 2016 that it was a ''shock to the system: ''It was only when she was coming home from school and saying, "Mummy, people keep on telling me that grandma is the Queen."' Talk about a real-life Princess Diaries moment…
Carriage driving
She is a proficient carriage driver – a passion she inherited from her late grandfather, Prince Philip. Duchess Sophie spoke proudly of her daughter's talent in 2020: ''She is naturally so good at it, she really is. It’s something that she has taken to very well.
Wedding helper
She performed significant roles in two royal weddings. In 2011 she was a bridesmaid at the wedding of Prince William and Princess Kate, and in 2018 she served as a 'Special Attendant' at Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank's wedding, where she was responsible for looking after the young bridesmaids and pageboys.
Lady of the lakes
She was honoured in 2008 when two lakes in Northern Manitoba, Canada were officially named after her to coincide with a visit to the territory by her father Prince Edward. According to the Vancouver Sun, the Prince was given framed notices of the naming.
Where is Lady Louise now?
Lady Louise is currently following in the footsteps of her cousin Prince William and his wife, the Princess of Wales, and completing her English degree at St Andrew's University.
Despite being a Princess by birth, although she chooses not to use her official royal title, Louise isnt expected to take on royal duties in the future. Joe Little, managing editor of Majesty magazine, told HELLO!'s Royal Club: "I don't ever envisage her being a full-time working royal, or even a part-time working royal. She's a member of the royal family.
© James Veysey/Shutterstock"She's the niece of the present King and will be the cousin of the future King. But I don't think she will play an active role in working royal life."
According to Louise herself, she is interested in pursuing a career "in the military, diplomacy, or law," which she penned on her LinkedIn profile. It has been said that she's keen on serving her King and country and has "fallen in love" with the Army Cadets, which she does alongside her studies at St Andrews University, per The Sun.
