Having just turned 22, Lady Louise Windsor has undoubtedly made her parents — the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh — very proud.
The eldest child of Prince Edward, 61, and Sophie, 60, is now in her final year studying English at the University of St Andrews, and is reportedly being considered for a more visible role in the Royal Family’s “slimmed-down monarchy” under the future reign of Prince William.
But 22 years ago, both Sophie and her newborn daughter came within minutes of tragedy. Lady Louise’s dramatic arrival in November 2003 left doctors fearing for their lives, with the Duchess reportedly “just 15 minutes from death.”
A night that turned from joy to fear
Lady Louise, weighing only 4lb 9oz, was delivered via emergency caesarean section on November 8, 2003, before being immediately transferred to specialist care. The complications from her premature birth left her with esotropia, a rare eye condition in which both eyes do not align in the same direction.
At the time, Sophie — who had married Prince Edward in June 1999 at St George’s Chapel, Windsor — had already faced years of heartbreak. She had suffered an ectopic pregnancy in December 2001, an experience that deeply affected her and left her doubting whether she would ever have children naturally.
When she discovered she was pregnant again in 2003, the Duchess was elated. Determined to give the pregnancy the best possible chance, she gave up horse riding and followed a strictly healthy lifestyle. By November, with one month to go before her due date, everything appeared to be progressing smoothly.
A crisis unfolds
So well, in fact, that Prince Edward had flown to Mauritius on a 12-hour official trip for Remembrance Day duties — unaware that his wife was about to go into labour.
On the evening of November 8, while watching television at their home, Bagshot Park in Surrey, Sophie suddenly experienced severe abdominal pain. Alarmed, she called the late Queen’s obstetrician, Sir Marcus Setchell, who immediately instructed her to get to the nearest hospital.
However, due to a misunderstanding during the call, police officers arrived at the residence instead of medical personnel — causing a critical 30-minute delay.
The late Queen’s former press secretary, Alisa Anderson, later recounted the chaotic night on A Right Royal Podcast.
“He said, ‘I’m in a police car on my way to Frimley Park Hospital. You better come,’” she recalled. “So I thought, crikey. I ordered a taxi, let my husband do the washing up — which I think was a first in our marriage — and got myself down there. The Earl of Wessex was abroad, and they couldn’t reach her parents. It was just me, Marcus, and the courtiers at the hospital. It was so dramatic.”
A race against time
Upon her arrival at Frimley Park Hospital, doctors discovered Sophie was suffering from acute placental abruption — a dangerous condition where the placenta detaches from the uterus, cutting off oxygen and nutrients to the baby and causing severe maternal bleeding.
The medical team — led by Sir Marcus Setchell, surgeon Sukhpal Singh, gynaecologist Anne Deans, and midwife Adrienne Price — rushed the Duchess into emergency surgery.
At 11:32 p.m., Lady Louise Windsor was delivered safely via C-section but was immediately transferred to the neonatal intensive care unit at St George’s Hospital in Tooting for further treatment.
Back in Frimley Park, Sophie’s condition rapidly worsened. She had lost a massive amount of blood and slipped into a semi-conscious state, requiring an emergency transfusion of nine pints to save her life.
Doctors later said she had been within 15 minutes of death.
Meanwhile, Prince Edward — still in Mauritius — was unaware of the unfolding emergency. When he finally returned to the UK the following evening and learned of the near-fatal complications, he was reportedly “white as a sheet.”
A miraculous recovery
Against the odds, both mother and daughter made full recoveries. Lady Louise spent two weeks in intensive care before being discharged, and Sophie later described her survival as nothing short of miraculous.
Today, Lady Louise Windsor has grown into a poised and grounded young woman admired for her quiet dignity and intellect. Once described as the Royal Family’s “secret weapon,” she continues to embody the grace and resilience that marked her dramatic entrance into the world.