As the senior royals get older, there will inevitably be more health challenges. King Charles is now apparently making significant decisions about the future direction of the United Kingdom’s monarchy while undergoing his cancer treatment. The Monarch approved the title of Lady Louise Windsor, the smallest granddaughter of Prince Phillip and Queen Elizabeth, which could see her taking the royal family to new heights at just 20 years old. At the moment, she is being hailed as a new potential savior for the Firm.

The eldest child of Prince Edward and Duchess Sophie is currently a student at the University of St Andrews, nearing the end of her second year. Unlike her cousins, Beatrice and Eugenie, she was not raised with a princess title; their parents decided early on that their children should be prepared to work for a living. However, might Lady Louise, with her own audacity, dare to alter her prestigious destination and ascend to the realm of Princesshood?

In the past year, there have been reports that the King and his dependable son appear to be involved in discreet and confidential succession preparations. In an additional report, the Prince of Wales expressed concern about the proposed reduction of the royal household in the years to come, representing his desire and Lady Louise Windsor, who has been tipped for a key role in Prince William’s future monarchy. Despite not having a royal title, she has been making waves. She’s often seen at major royal gatherings like Christmas and Easter royal walkabouts alongside her parents. Most recently, she made an appearance at Buckingham Palace’s annual Trooping the Colour event in honor of her uncle’s birthday.

It’s believed that promoting Louise to a more prominent role within the family could be a game-changer. The idea of Lady Louise Windsor, along with Princess Beatrice, Princess Eugenie, and Zara Tindall stepping up as working royals is a fascinating proposition packed with intriguing possibilities and potential pitfalls to navigate. The source went on to note that figures like Lady Louise represent the future of the monarchy. These four ladies are smart, accomplished young women with their own identities and passion projects already resonating in the real world.

Despite being older than her brother James, Lady Louise remains a mere lady. Since her birth in 2003, she’s been styled as the daughter of an Earl and currently carries the title befitting a daughter of a Duke, which is also “Lady.” This has sparked discussions regarding inequality, as despite the laws of succession being amended a couple of decades ago to prioritize birth order and prevent men from surpassing women, the regulations surrounding noble titles have remained unchanged for centuries. Although Louise may be the elder of the newly appointed Duke of Edinburgh, her brother takes precedence in terms of title.

Nevertheless, there exists another title that Lady Louise is yet to embrace. According to the renowned Letters Patent of 1917, issued by King George V, she has the potential to be held as HRH Princess Louise. These Letters Patent, signed by a king who sought to diminish the number of individuals within his family bearing royal titles, restricted the use of HRH and Prince or Princess solely to children or grandchildren of the monarch. In line with tradition, this hardly aligns with the principles of equality in the 21st century, as only the children of the monarch’s sons are included. However, it does present the opportunity for a princess to emerge as the 15th in line to the throne.

Her mother, Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, previously opened up about the decision to raise her two children without princely titles, adding that they were brought up with the expectation to work for a living in the future. “We tried 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. However, that doesn’t mean that Lady Louise doesn’t have the option to use the royal title. They have them and can decide to use them from 18, but I think it’s highly unlikely,” Duchess Sophie explained.