Lady Louise’s Boyfriend Supports Her at Carriage Driving Competition After Her College Graduation
Lady Louise’s Boyfriend Supports Her at Carriage Driving Competition After Her College Graduation
Meredith KileMon, August 3, 2026 at 5:43 PM UTC
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Lady Louise Windsor and her long-rumored boyfriend, Felix da Silva-Clamp, attend the Duke of Edinburgh’s Gold Award ceremony at Holyroodhouse on July 3, 2026Credit: Jane Barlow/WPA Pool/Getty -
Lady Louise Windsor participated in her first carriage driving competition of the season over the weekend
The 22-year-old royal was supported at the event by her long-rumored boyfriend, Felix da Silva-Clamp
The pair met as students at the University of St. Andrews; Louise celebrated her graduation from the Scottish institution last month
Lady Louise Windsor participated in her first carriage driving competition of the season over the weekend, and a special guest was there to cheer her on.
The 22-year-old daughter of Prince Edward and Sophie, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, competed in the Glebe Estate Carriage Driving Trials in West Sussex on Sunday, Aug. 2, and her long-rumored boyfriend, Felix da Silva-Clamp, was on hand to show his support.
Photos published by Hello! magazine showed da Silva-Clamp smiling as he watched Louise compete, even wearing the same Royal Windsor Horse Show baseball cap that she was photographed in before changing into her more formal competition attire.
Reports about the couple gained traction after da Silva-Clamp supported Louise at several carriage competitions last summer. Hello! reported that, like Kate Middleton and Prince William, they met as students at the University of St. Andrews, and the pair forged a relationship after being cast in a play together.
Lady Louise Windsor takes part in the Pol Roger Meet of the British Driving Society on day 4 of The Royal Windsor Horse Show 2026 on May 17, 2026Credit: Mark Cuthbert/UK Press/Getty
The young royal inherited her love of carriage driving from her late grandfather Prince Philip, who also taught her mother how to drive. Following his death in 2021, Prince Philip left his ponies and carriage to Louise.
Sara Howe, a carriage driving trainer who often sees Louise and her beau at competitions, told Hello! that she and da Silva-Clamp are “just lovely” together.
“He’s always been very supportive, but also leaves her alone to get on with the job,” Sara shared.
Louise’s boyfriend also supported her when she received the Duke of Edinburgh’s Gold Award from her father upon the occasion of her graduation from St. Andrews last month.
Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh (right), Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor (center) and her boyfriend, Felix da Silva-Clamp (second from left), listen to Prince Edward speak whilst hosting the Duke of Edinburgh’s Gold Award ceremony at Holyroodhouse on July 3, 2026Credit: Jane Barlow/WPA Pool/Getty
Louise, who was announced as “Louise Mountbatten-Windsor” rather than using her royal title as she accepted her St. Andrews diploma, is expected to take a gap year after graduating before exploring further career opportunities.
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Neither she nor her younger brother, James, Earl of Wessex, chose to publicly adopt a royal title or HRH (His/Her Royal Highness) styling upon turning 18, as was their birthright as Queen Elizabeth’s youngest grandchildren.
As they’ve reached adulthood and their parents have stepped into more senior royal roles following the accession of King Charles and Edward’s inheritance of his late father’s title, it’s believed that Louise and James may not be called upon for major royal duties.
“I think Sophie — and Edward — have been careful to prepare their children for a life outside the working royal family,” royal biographer Sean Smith told GB News last year.
Speaking to The Sunday Times in 2020, Sophie said, “We try to bring them up with the understanding they are very likely to have to work for a living. Hence, we made the decision not to use HRH titles. They have them and can decide to use them from 18, but I think it’s highly unlikely.”
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Prince William, who is the current heir to the throne, is the only one of Queen Elizabeth’s eight grandchildren to hold a full-time working royal role, after his brother, Prince Harry, stepped back from royal duties and moved to the U.S. in 2020.
Princess Anne opted not to give her children, Peter Phillips and Zara Tindall, royal titles at birth and raised them without the expectation of royal obligation.
“I think it was probably easier for them, and I think most people would argue that there are downsides to having titles,” Anne told Vanity Fair in 2020. “So I think that was probably the right thing to do.”
Meanwhile, the former Prince Andrew gave his daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, the princess titles and HRH styling at birth. However, the sisters are not working royals and grew up to pursue private careers. While Beatrice remains one of King Charles’ Counsellors of State, she and Eugenie have stepped even further back from the royal spotlight in the months since the King stripped Andrew of his royal titles due to the scandal of his involvement in the Epstein files.
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