Lady Louise 'keen on military career' after joining officer training corps
By Tom McArdle
Lady Louise Windsor is following in Queen Elizabeth II's military footsteps after taking part in her university's Officer Training Course.
The 21-year-old daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, Edward and Sophie, studies English at St Andrews University in Fife and has been pictured wearing face camouflage, combat gear and holding a helmet labelled "Windsor".
Lady Louise is 16th in line to the throne. If she did choose a military career, she would be the first female royal since her late grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, to do so.
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Lady Louise Windsor, pictured in December, could make history as the first female royal to serve in the armed forces since Queen Elizabeth II. UK Press via Getty Images
Other images, shared by the Tayforth University Officers' Training Corps (TUOTC) on social media, show Lady Louise standing by the Union Flag in a brown jacket and tartan skirt.
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One source told The Sun: "Louise has loved every minute of being a member of the officer cadets at university.
"She talks about being very keen on a career in the military, serving the King and country.
Lady Louise Windsor has taken part in her university’s Officer Training Course. Getty
"She's received basic Army officer training and is more determined than ever to serve in the future.
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"She fitted the officer training corps around her studies and has benefited hugely from the skills that she has been taught.
"She is all about the Army cadets and has fallen in love with it."
The British royal family line of succession as of October 2, 2024. Graphic: Tara Blancato
Lady Louise is said to have enjoyed a special relationship with both of her grandparents – the late Queen and Prince Philip.
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She also became the first royal to officially carry the late Duke of Edinburgh's Mountbatten surname, ensuring his name can continue with her Mountbatten-Windsor
Elizabeth II was a princess when she served in the Auxiliary Territorial Service as a subaltern in 1945, learning to drive and maintain vehicles.
Queen Elizabeth, as Princess Elizabeth, with the Auxiliary Territorial Service in 1945. Getty
Elsewhere, Prince William completed a 44-week training course at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and was commissioned as an Army officer in December 2006.
Prince Harry completed two operational tours of Afghanistan during his 10-year military career.
In 2007, he was deployed to Helmand province where he served as a forward air controller, before qualifying as a co-pilot gunner in 2012 and deploying to Camp Bastion.
The Ministry of Defence said: "The UOTC provides a standard of experience and training that's well respected within the Army."
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