Queen Elizabeth's youngest granddaughter holds special place in her heart

Queen Elizabeth II was famously close to all her grandchildren but she shared a particularly warm connection with her granddaughter, Lady Louise Windsor. 

Now 22, Lady Louise is the daughter of Prince Edward and Duchess Sophie, and the Queen’s second youngest grandchild, just after her brother, James, Earl of Wessex.

Their closeness was on full display during the late Queen’s 90th birthday celebrations in 2016, as revealed in royal biographer Hugo Vickers’ new book, Queen Elizabeth II: A Personal History. 

During the official festivities in June, Lady Louise made a rare public appearance, walking down the Mall alongside her family while greeting stall-holders. 

According to Vickers, the Queen “only smiled on these occasions if genuinely amused,” highlighting just how special the moment with Louise was.

“There was always a special bond between the late Queen and Lady Louise, because Louise was her youngest granddaughter,” Joe Little, managing editor of Majesty magazine said.

“There was a noticeable age gap between Louise and her older cousins, and in her early years, she faced a number of health challenges. 

She had a fragile start, which would have naturally worried her grandparents. It’s clear she was deeply cherished by both the Queen and the late Duke of Edinburgh,” notes in his new biography.

He also recounts that she was born prematurely, prompting Prince Edward to cut short an overseas trip to Mauritius and rush home to be by her side.