Lady Louise Windsor made a rare appearance at the Duchess of Edinburgh’s birthday bash, according to royal sources.
The Duchess of Edinburgh celebrated her 60th birthday on Monday with a grand black-tie celebration at Bagshot Park, organised by her husband Prince Edward.
The dinner and dance took place at the couple’s Victorian gothic mansion in Berkshire, where they have lived since their wedding in 1999.
Staff from nearby Windsor Castle were borrowed for the occasion, as the Edinburghs maintain a modest household with only a butler and housemaid for everyday needs.
Lady Louise ‘made rare appearance’ at Duchess of Edinburgh’s party as she and boyfriend set for major move
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The celebration brought together key members of the Royal Family, including the King and Queen, and the Prince and Princess of Wales.
Lady Louise Windsor, 21, who is studying English at St Andrew’s University, joined the festivities, according to The Sun.
This comes as Louise is reportedly planning a gap year at Macquarie University in Australia with her boyfriend and fellow student, Felix Da Silva-Clamp.
Notable guests at the birthday bash included composer Andrew Lloyd Webber, who gave Edward his first theatre job, and Sophie’s former colleagues from Capital Radio.
The Duchess of Edinburgh celebrated her 60th birthday on MondayChristina EbenezerSophie’s father Christopher Rhys-Jones, 93, and her brother David, 61, who runs a funeral business, also attended.
“Neither Sophie or Edward are what you might call big party animals,” a source close to the family told the outlet.
Despite its grandeur and 120 rooms, Bagshot Park has rarely been used by the couple for formal entertaining.
The mansion features a huge drawing room, morning room, lavish dining room, conservatory and wood-panelled his and hers studies.
Felix da Silva-Clamp and Lady Louise Windsor photographed together at universityFacebook / Mermaids St Andrews“A lot of the rooms are usually closed off. The family only uses six of the 12 bedrooms,” the source added.
The property is secured on a long Crown lease, which was recently renewed at Edward’s request, ensuring the couple’s long-term residence.
King Charles also granted the duchess a special privilege to host her own shoot on the Windsor estate as part of her birthday celebrations.
Sophie, noted for her skilled eye in game shooting, invited 10 friends, including her husband, for a day of pheasant shooting.
“I envy anyone getting an invitation to shoot at Windsor,” a royal source said. “It’s beautifully run, and often produces higher bags than the shoots at Sandringham or Balmoral.”
Prince Edward and Sophie have lived in Bagshot Park since 1999Getty
One member of the Royal Family who attended the birthday bash was Princess Kate. Sophie has been a pillar of support for the Princess of Wales during her cancer treatment over the past year.
When Kate stepped back from public life, the Duchess of Edinburgh was the first to take on some of her engagements.
“That sort of pragmatism, a genuine desire to help and support someone who has been knocked off kilter, is pure Sophie,” a senior royal source said.
According to The Sun, Sophie arranged picnics and playdates at Bagshot for George, Louis and Charlotte while Kate rested after chemotherapy sessions.
Their warm relationship was evident at the Remembrance Sunday service, where Sophie comfortingly placed her hand on Kate’s shoulder.