The Duchess of Edinburgh, Sophie, is set to celebrate a significant milestone next week – her 60th birthday on 20 January. It appears that her daughter, Lady Louise, will be present for the occasion.
Currently studying English literature at St Andrews University, where Prince William and Princess Kate famously met, Louise’s semester doesn’t start until 27 January. This means she can spend her mother’s special day with her, rather than being in Scotland.
The celebration is likely to be a private affair at the Duchess’s Surrey home, Bagshot Park, with her husband Edward, 60, and Louise. Their son James, Earl of Wessex, is expected to be at his boarding school in Oxfordshire.
Duchess Sophie will turn 60 on Monday
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Despite being senior working royals, the Duchess and Edward’s children do not carry HRH titles, allowing them a more private life. While Louise and James do attend large Royal events with their parents, such as Trooping The Colour, Coronations, Royal weddings and Christmas Day walkabouts, they generally live their lives away from the public eye.
Duchess Sophie has previously shared her rationale for not bestowing Royal titles upon her children, stating: “We try to bring them up with the understanding that they are very likely to have to work for a living. “
:”Hence, we made the decision not to use HRH titles. They have them and can decide to use them from 18, but I think it’s highly unlikely,” reports the Mirror.
However, this stance may shift due to the health concerns of senior royals. Reports from the Scottish Daily Express, suggest Prince William is contemplating elevating Louise and James to working royals, which would entitle them to public funds from the Sovereign Grant and involve them in official duties for the monarchy.
James, Earl of Wessex and Lady Louise Windsor could be promoted to working royals when Prince William becomes King
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In the previous year, the absence of both King Charles and Princess Kate from their Royal duties due to cancer treatment highlighted the aging demographic of active royals—with an average age of 69, or 77 excluding Kate and William. Balancing family life with their three young children—Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince Louis, 6—and their Royal responsibilities was a challenge for Kate and William last year.
The addition of younger working royals could potentially alleviate the pressure of fulfilling Royal engagements.
The addition of more youthful working royals could prove beneficial, particularly in light of Harry and Meghan’s decision to step back. King Charles’s vision for a ‘slimmed down monarchy’, aimed at reducing the financial burden of the House of Windsor on the public, did not factor in his youngest son, Prince Harry, departing The Firm.