Lady Louise Windsor has been presented the Duke of Edinburgh’s Gold Award by her father Prince Edward – after graduating from the University of St Andrews yesterday, before she embarks on a gap year.
The late Queen’s granddaughter, 22, was joined by her boyfriend Felix da Silva-Clamp, as well as her mother, Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, at a reception at her uncle, the King’s official Scottish residence, the Palace of Holyroodhouse, in the capital.
In his role as patron of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, which was set up by his father Prince Philip in 1956, Prince Edward, 61, hosted young people from across Scotland and the north of England for the Gold Award celebrations.
Lady Louise looked delighted to receive her award from her father and posed with her proud mother before taking her seat next to Felix to watch the Duke’s speech.
The family outing comes after the royal’s graduation yesterday, where she received a Bachelor’s degree in English Literature and International Relations in front of her supportive parents and boyfriend.
The late Queen’s granddaughter, who had a Saturday job in her local garden centre, is said to be ‘sweet, humble and down-to-earth’ by those who know her.
While many would love for Lady Louise to join the dwindling ranks of working royals, the 22-year-old is planning on taking a gap year to consider her options, it can be revealed by the Daily Mail.
During her gap year, she will, according to Buckingham Palace, be undertaking a mixture of working, volunteering and travelling. Officials say they won’t comment further on her future career aspirations at this stage.
Lady Louise Windsor has been presented the Duke of Edinburgh’s Gold Award by her father Prince Edward
The late Queen’s granddaughter, 22, was joined by her boyfriend Felix da Silva-Clamp (centre left), as they were pictured listening
The Duchess of Edinburgh gazing fondly at her daughter, Lady Louise Windsor, in a portrait taken at the Palace of Holyroodhouse
Lady Louise’s plan to take a gap year is not entirely surprising; it is fairly common for members of the Royal Family to take the time off to gain life experience and explore the world before committing to their duty.
After graduating from Eton College, Prince William took a gap year before enrolling at St Andrews, where he met and fell in love with the Princess of Wales.
During that time, he undertook ‘preparation for survival’ exercises with the Welsh Guards in Belize, working as a volunteer with Raleigh International in Chile, working on a dairy farm in the UK and visiting countries in Africa.
At the time, William said he was grateful not to have gotten ‘special treatment’ as the future King but that the ‘living conditions aren’t exactly what I’m used to’, Tatler reported.
In a twist of fate, Catherine, who attended Marlborough College, also undertook the same programme when she visited Chile during her own gap year.
She also studied painting in Florence and crewed on Round the World Challenge boats in the Solent.
Prince Harry spent his gap year after Eton working as a jackaroo on a 16,000-hectare, remote cattle station in Queensland, Australia, in 2003, as the Duke of Sussex previously explained it entailed ‘chasing cows through the bush and getting chased by countless bulls’.
He also visited an orphanage for children with Aids in Lesotho, Africa, where the Duke helped build a clinic.
Princess Anne’s daughter Zara Tindall found love during her gap year in 2003, when she travelled to Australia and met Mike Tindall.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, the former England rugby player said: ‘She was on her gap year and in Australia with friends. Clive (Woodward, the coach) had just told me I was dropped for the semi-final, so I went out for a beer with two others who weren’t playing, Martin Corry and Austin Healey.
‘Zara was in the same bar, we got introduced but didn’t speak that much. Later on, Austin gave me her number and said, “She wants you to text her, to say where you’re all going out after the final so she can come along.”‘
Lady Louise Windsor has been presented the Duke of Edinburgh’s Gold Award by her father Prince Edward
A moment of pride for the family as Sophie, who looks pretty in blue, accepts the prestigious adventure and volunteering award
This year marks 40 years of Prince Edward’s (left) involvement in championing the award. The King’s brother inspects his daughter’s certificate
Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh (front row, right) and Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor (front row, centre) listen to Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh (not picture) speak whilst hosting young people from across Scotland and the north of England for the Gold Award celebrations
Lady Louise was all smiles as she received the Duke of Edinburgh award, established by her late grandfather, Prince Philip, in 1956
Duchess Sophie, 61, was typically elegant in a floral print dress
Lady Louise Windsor is a graduate! A new portrait showed the young royal wearing her graduation gown after she collected her certificate from the St Andrews University
The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh proudly posing with their daughter, Lady Louise
Lady Louise was accompanied by her boyfriend, Felix da Silva Clamp
Today’s ceremony will be especially sentimental for the family as Lady Louise received the adventure and volunteering award in the 70th anniversary year of the award being founded by her late grandfather, Prince Philip.
This year also marks 40 years of her father’s involvement in championing the award, designed to empower young people to reach their full potential.
The Duke of Edinburgh Award encourages young people to volunteer, enjoy the outdoors and help the local community before turning 25.
It comes after new portraits of Sophie, Edward, and Lady Louise were released to commemorate her graduation.
A solo snap of the young royal showed her holding her Bachelor’s degree in English Literature and International Relations certificate, with St Andrews’ logo emblazoned in gold on its navy blue case, as she smiled for the camera.
Earlier in the day, Lady Louise was pictured beaming during her graduation ceremony at the prestigious university in Scotland that was once also attended by the Prince and Princess of Wales.
The young royal, who is 17th in line to the throne, could be seen in her formal robes, chatting to fellow graduates – and walking alongside her boyfriend Felix da Silva-Clamp, who is also a student at the university.
In one touching moment, the young couple shared a tight hug.
She was also supported by her parents, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, who were seen speaking to college staff amid the festivities.
Lady Louise Alice Elizabeth Mary was born at Frimley Park Hospital in Surrey after her mother was rushed to the hospital with complications one month early.
She weighed just 4lb 9oz while her mother, Sophie, was left suffering from severe blood loss and was separated from her much long-for child for several weeks.
She has since returned to the hospital to thank staff for saving her life.
Born with esotropia, a condition that turns the eye outwards, a common condition in premature babies, she had difficulties with her vision growing up and underwent two rounds of surgery.
Her mother says her vision is now perfect but the experience inspired Sophie to campaign on the issue of preventable blindness in her honour.
Edward and Sophie eschewed giving their children – Louise and her younger brother James, Earl of Wessex – titles. They were both entitled to use HRHs.
Their view was that the children would need to make their own way in the world and choose whether they wanted to when they were older, but neither has chosen to.
Lady Louise, 22, was beaming as she collected her certificate during her graduation ceremony at the prestigious university in Scotland that was also attended by the Prince and Princess of Wales
She was also supported by her parents, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, who were seen speaking to college staff amid the festivities
Prince Edward and Sophie – as well as Louise’s younger brother, the Earl of Wessex – will undoubtedly be proud of Lady Louise, who has been hailed as the Royal Family’s ‘secret weapon’
Lady Louise Windsor attends her graduation ceremony
Lady Louise was beaming during today’s ceremony to accept the Duke of Edinburgh award as she sat next to her boyfriend, Felix.
Felix was born in London’s Kensington and is the son of solicitor Jonathan Charles William da Silva-Clamp – who contested the 2022 local Wandsworth elections as a Tory candidate for Shaftesbury and Queenstown.
Speculation that the pair were dating began in 2024 after Lady Louise and Felix were cast in the first student-written play to be performed at the Byre Theatre at St Andrews.
The duo were part of the cast of Dragon Fever, described by the Peerage News as ‘an ambitious cross between an Agatha Christie mystery and Tolkien’s The Hobbit’.
Dragon Fever reportedly told the story of nine strangers on a mission to slay a dragon, which ultimately turns into a murder mystery ‘full of riddles, twists, and love affairs’, the outlet reported.
Lady Louise is believed to have played Rigeon, inspired by the hero of Spanish novelist Miguel de Cervantes’ Don Quixote and Lord Byron’s fictional libertine Don Juan.
Meanwhile, Kensington-born Felix portrayed ‘over-the-top’ character Grant.
Photos from a fundraiser for the university’s drama society showed Lady Louise snapping selfies with Felix as the pair looked happy and loved up.
One picture showed the duo with their arms wrapped around each other, while in another image, Lady Louise is seen snuggling up to Felix, placing her hand on his chest and her head on his shoulder.
Last November, it was reported that Felix had joined Lady Louise in their university’s army reserve unit, signalling a growing bond for the couple.
Both looked smart in their military uniforms as they took part in the St Andrews Regiments’ Day Parade over the 2025 Remembrance Day Weekend.
It is not known whether he was part of the students’ unit before or after Lady Louise joined, but seems to show yet another sign that the pair could be on track to be the next William and Kate.
They sported matching solemn expressions as they marched alongside fellow cadets in camouflage ensembles, all wearing red poppies, walking from Holy Trinity Church to the War Memorial in town, where wreaths were laid down.
Before it was revealed that Lady Louise plans to take a gap year, it was reported she was considering a career in the military.
A source told The Sun: ‘She talks about being very keen on a career in the military, serving the King and country. She is all about the Army Cadets and has fallen in love with it.’
If Lady Louise, who has kept a low profile while completing her studies, goes down the military path, she will be the first female royal since her late grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, to do so.
The King’s niece has also been compared to the late monarch due to their shared love of horses, with royal biographer Ingrid Seward noting: ‘There are shades of the young Elizabeth. There is something about her – a capability. She’s obviously a very gentle young woman.’
On the occasion of her 22nd birthday last November, royal experts suggested the ‘stylish and conscientious’ Lady Louise could be given a bigger role during Prince William’s reign – especially considering the crisis involving his disgraced uncle, former Duke of York, Andrew.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, Richard Fitzwilliams noted that William – who has previously expressed his desire to ‘change’ the monarchy – will ‘undoubtedly need extra help if it wants it to continue its charitable activities at a significant level’.
