Lady Louise Windsor is supported by her mother Sophie as she competes at a carriage driving competition in Windsor Great Park

Lady Louise Windsor was supported by her mother, the Duchess of Edinburgh, as she competed in a carriage driving competition this weekend.The King's niece, 22, who is currently enjoying a gap year after graduating from St Andrews University, looked in her element as she took to the seat of her carriage for the event at Windsor Great Park.Walking alongside Louise and her pony was her encouraging mother, Sophie, dressed in a grey sweater, checked jacket and slim-fit white trousers tucked into lace boots.The sport has been a passion of Louise's since her grandfather Prince Philip took her to her first-ever carriage drive. After retiring from the polo field in 2003, the late Duke of Edinburgh turned to the pastime and competed well into his 90s.For the event on Sunday, which marked the final meet of the season, the royal dressed casually in a navy jumper, white trousers and a blue and red helmet.Seemingly happy to leave her days of being chauffeured to competitions behind, Lady Louise was pictured driving herself to the occasion, looking comfortable in a Land Rover Discovery Sport. The 22-year-old St Andrew's graduate, who is currently enjoying a gap year, was later joined by her mother, Sophie, 61, as she swapped her vehicle for the pony-drawn carriage The daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh drove herself to the final meet of the carriage driving season at Windsor Great Park on SundayThe former PR executive was recently praised as the 'gold standard of royal duty' after her five-day tour of Zambia that coincided with the release of Earl Spencer's controversial book about Diana, Swan Song. Sophie appeared relaxed and happy as she lovingly stroked Lady Louise's black steed as the carriage driving season comes to a close. Lady Louise also shared a love of carriage driving with the late Queen and her sister Princess Margaret. From past to present, Lady Louise has always been surrounded by supporters cheering on her hobby – including her boyfriend Felix da Silva-Clamp.The 22-year-old fellow St Andrews graduate has been seen smiling alongside his beau at carriage-driving competitions on several occasions this year, including The Sandringham Festival of Carriage Driving and Ashfields in Essex.According to author Robert Jobson, 'onlookers watched him punch the air as she came through the water'. The royal expert added: 'Nothing royal about him, just a young man in love standing in a wet field in Essex, cheering his girlfriend on.'The pair were first linked in 2024 and have been together since June 2025 but have kept things remarkably low-key – so much so that royal reporters simply called Felix Louise's 'pal' for a time.Now they are appearing together at family events and royal engagements, but their quiet romance is a world away from the drama surrounding other royals.They reportedly grew closer during rehearsals, with their friendship eventually blossoming into romance. The King's niece was dressed casually in a white blouse, light grey jeans, brown ankle boots, a navy jumper and a riding helmet Sophie appeared relaxed and happy as she lovingly stroked Lady Louise's black steed as the carriage driving season comes to a closeYet, even after dating for over a year, the couple managed to keep things private. That changed this summer when Felix joined Louise and her parents, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, at a performance of the Zulu ballet Inala at the Edinburgh International Festival, where they were pictured chatting to cast members.According to Mr Jobson, Felix's background makes him well-suited for Louise, given that her mother, Sophie, originates from a middle-class background.Born in Kensington in 2004, he is the son of London solicitor Jonathan da Silva-Clamp, a former Conservative parliamentary candidate, and Australian doctor Kendall Searle.The family later moved to Australia, where Felix attended Melbourne Grammar School before heading to St Andrews.He and Louise also joined the same reserve army unit and share interests including theatre and traditional Scottish dancing.Their low-key relationship is a far cry from Prince Harry's 'Party Prince' days, when his nights out stumbling out of nightclubs and relationships with former girlfriends Chelsy Davy and Cressida Bonas regularly made headlines.The same could be said for other relatives like Princess Eugenie, who earned a reputation in her early twenties as a regular on the London club scene, frequently photographed leaving popular West End and Mayfair hotspots.Instead, it appears Lady Louise and Felix seem happy to keep their heads down and get on with life. And in many ways, that is very much keeping in line with Louise herself.According to Mr Jobson, there has long been a striking resemblance between Lady Louise and her grandmother – both physically and in temperament.He wrote: 'Some say it is her grandmother all over again. Elizabeth made up her mind as a teenager about a Greek prince with royal blood, Philip, even though he has no money and unhelpful German relations, and never moved an inch while the courtiers sniffed.'Constancy and steadfastness were at the heart of her character, in marriage as in everything else, and it was perhaps underestimated.'Like Lady Louise, Princess Elizabeth was a quiet girl who knew exactly what she wanted when it came to love.'People say Lady Louise looks like her grandmother. There is a resemblance. But the likeness that matters more is not in the face.'Before her passing aged 96 in 2022, Louise was known as the granddaughter who spent huge amounts of time with the Queen, regularly staying at Windsor Castle during her childhood.