Royal Family News: Lady Louise Windsor Confronts A Startling Reality After Turning 18

British royal family news shows that Lady Louise Windsor turned 18 this week. The milestone birthday happened on Monday, November 8 and with it came a huge decision for the newly minted adult Hint: it has to do with a possible change in her royal status.

Lady Louise Windsor Is Now 18

Lady Louise Windsor is the daughter of Prince Edward and his wife Sophie. Now that she is a legal adult she has a huge decision to make—will she become an official Princess by adopting and using that title? This particular royal convention dates back to a 1917 Letters Patent. In short, “all children of the monarch’s male heirs — in this case, Lady Louise’s father, Prince Edward — have princely status and can use the designation His or Her Royal Highness,” according to People.

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Will Louise Choose To Be An Official Princess?

Lady Louise’s cousins Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie received Princess titles based on the wishes of their father, Prince Andrew. But Andrew’s brother Prince Edward has taken a different tack with his offspring. He and wife Sophie, Countess of Wessex made the decision to let Louise and her 13-year-old brother, James, Viscount Severn, decide for themselves if they wish to take on a royal title once they turn 18.

What exactly must Louise decide upon? Now that she is 18, Louise has the option of calling herself Her Royal Highness Princess Louise of Wessex. But that fancy pants title comes with a price! If she chooses to go all in and become an official royal on paper, she must then assume certain royal duties, such as ambassadorships and patronages.

What Will Lady Louise Decide?

According to royal expert Phil Dampier, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip once had over 1,000 patronages between them. Philip died in April and the 95-year old queen is currently under doctor’s orders to scale back her official duties. Someone will have to take up the slack which is now gaping with the absence of Prince Andrew and Prince Harry from the fold. As Dampier notes, “You have to ask yourself who is going to continue their legacy, with Harry and Meghan and Prince Andrew off the scene. There’s a huge workload there.”

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Let’s be realistic, even if Lady Louise chooses to become a working royal, she cannot take on all of the responsibilities once performed by the four other royals.

Realistically however she, “could assume Prince Harry’s place as a Counsellor of State to the Queen, with the young royal undertaking official duties for the monarch on occasions when she is unable.”

There are four Counsellors of State: Prince Charles, Prince William, Prince Harry and Prince Andrew. What will Louise decide? Hopefully there is no pressure on her to forge a future pathway simply because she is 18—she has a whole lifetime ahead of her!

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