King Charles—and in turn, Prince William—is facing a problem that Queen Elizabeth never had to worry about when it comes to royal duties. With a shrinking population of senior royals able to carry out work on behalf of the family, there’s been numerous discussions about how sustainable the current situation will be when William is eventually King. Now, one royal expert has suggested that the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh’s eldest child could be tipped for an eventual role.
With Prince Harry and Meghan Markle moving to California and Prince Andrew being forced to step back from official duties, there aren’t many people to carry out work on behalf of the King these days. That being said, Richard Fitzgerald told GB News that “the royals have to do more work each because there are far fewer of them.”
Prince William and Kate Middleton are in their forties, and Duchess Sophie and Prince Edward are both 60, but as Fitzgerald pointed out, "We still have quite a number of royals but there are only four who are under 70."
The Edinburghs’ 21-year-old daughter, Lady Louise Windsor, has been called one of the Royal Family’s secret weapons, and Fitzgerald noted that “the royals are looking possibly to Lady Louise one day” to pitch in with duties.
Lady Louise, seen at the 2024 Royal Windsor Horse Show, is an accomplished carriage driver.
However, he added, “nothing is definite” and the idea was "just a possibility."
As William and Kate did in the early 2000s, Lady Louise currently attends the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, and she’s even found romance there, just like her cousin did. Aside from her studies, Louise is a competitive carriage driver, a sport she found a passion for thanks to her late grandfather, Prince Philip.
However, one thing that might put a hold on a royal role is a potential military career. Louise is involved in the University Officers' Training Corps at St. Andrews and is said to be eyeing a role in the military after school.
Lady Louise joined parents and brother James for Christmas in 2024.
"She talks about being very keen on a career in the military, serving the King and country," a source told the Sun. "She is all about the Army Cadets and has fallen in love with it."
As for her mom Duchess Sophie and Prince Edward’s warm relationship with Princess Kate and Prince William, Fitzwilliams said “there is no doubt” that the duchess “is someone who has been an absolute rock during a very rocky period.”
"The Edinburghs have been valuable, especially at this time, which has been so difficult,” he said. "Sophie and Edward have done extremely well.”
