Lady Louise Windsor appeared to make a sweet nod to the Queen during a vigil at Westminster Hall this evening, donning a necklace with a horse pendant.
Queen Elizabeth’s grandchildren arrived in Westminster just before 6pm where they held the first-of-its-kind vigil to pay their respects to the late monarch, who died peacefully at Balmoral on September 8.
They filed into Westminster Hall in formation, with the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Sussex, dressed in the uniform of the Blues and Royals, leading princesses Beatrice and Eugenie and Lady Louise and James, Viscount Severn, Her Majesty’s two youngest grandchildren. Peter and Zara followed behind.
Lady Louise, who has been described as the ‘favourite’ grandchild of the monarch in the past, looked emotional as she took her place by her grandmother’s casket.
She wore a traditional black dress for the event, which she accessorised with the necklace, which appeared to be fashioned from a silver-coloured metal.
Lady Louise, 18, appeared to be making a sweet nod to her grandmother, donning a necklace boasting a pendant in the shape of a horse’s head. The pair shared a passion for all things equestrian
Tribute: the necklace worn by Lady Louise at this evening’s vigil boasted a pendant in the shape of a horse’s head, in a possible nod to the love of horses she shared with the Queen
Pictured: Princess Eugenie (back left), Princess Beatrice (back right), James, Viscount Severn (centre left), Lady Louise Windsor (centre right), Peter Phillips (front left) and Zara Tindall (front right)
It boasted a robust chain, and a pendant in the shape of a horse’s head in profile. The 18-year-old famously shared a passion for all things equestrian-related with the Queen.
In addition, Lady Louise, who’s parents are Prince Edward, 58, and Sophie Wessex, 57, was able to see a lot more of her grandparents growing up than her cousins, as she has always lived just 11 miles from Windsor and had the benefit of being born around the time the Queen and Prince Philip scaled back their long-haul travel.
Prince Edward and the Countess of Wessex, wanted to give their daughter and son James, Viscount Severn, 14, a ‘normal’ childhood with schoolfriends and extra-curricular activities.
And so she was largely kept out of the limelight throughout her childhood, with her first major Royal outing coming at the age of nine when she was a bridesmaid at the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s wedding in 2011.
Many royal watchers noted her similarity to the Queen at the same age, not least her enjoyment of horse-related activities.
The eight grandchildren arrived at Westminster Hall where they performed a vigil at the Queen’s coffin
The Queen’s eight grandchildren carried out a vigil at her coffin on Saturday evening in the Palace of Westminster
Queen Elizabeth’s grandchildren arrived in Westminster just before 6pm where they will hold a 15-minute vigil
The Queen’s grandchildren stand in solemn silence as they mount a vigil for their late grandmother in Westminster Hall
Mourners are continuing to file past the coffin as the royal cousins stand beside their late grandmother’s coffin
The Queen’s four grandchildren stand around her coffin during their own vigil, similar to the one held by their parents on Friday
Prince William bows his head as he stands beside his grandmother’s coffin in Westminster Hall
The Prince of Wales stands vigil beside the coffin of his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, as it lies in state
Queen Elizabeth II ‘s grandchildren (clockwise from front centre) the Prince of Wales, Peter Phillips, James, Viscount Severn, Princess Eugenie, the Duke of Sussex, Princess Beatrice, Lady Louise Windsor and Zara Tindall hold a vigil
Zara Tindall, Princess Beatrice, Princess Eugenie and Lady Louise Windsor followed in the footsteps of Princess Anne by taking part in a ceremony that has been traditionally reserved for male members of the Royal Family
Lady Louise discovered a passion for carriage-driving thanks to her grandfather, the late Duke of Edinburgh, who had counted the activity among his favourite past-times since the 1970s.
He raced carriages near Norfolk before going on to represent Britain at several world and European championships.
As a result of getting involved in carriage driving, Lady Louise was central to a special emotional moment that took place ahead of Her Majesty’s jubilee this Summer.
In May this year, Lady Louise (pictured) led a touching tribute to Prince Philip during the ‘A Gallop Through Time’ event hosted by the Windsor Royal Horse Show, marking the Platinum Jubilee
The young royal’s love of horses was something she shared with Her Majesty, while carriage-driving was a passion she picked up from the Queen’s beloved husband Prince Philip
The Queen, pictured while watching ‘A Gallop Through History’ at Windsor Castle, was seen looking tearful as her granddaughter Lady Louise drove Prince Philip’s carriage around the arena during an emotional tribute to the late royal
During the Windsor Royal Horse Show in May, the 18-year-old royal showed off her impressive equestrian skills while driving the Duke of Edinburgh’s carriage to lead the Fell Pony Society centenary parade, watched by her grandmother the Queen
During the horse show, which was said to be one of Her Majesty’s favourite events, Lady Louise showed off her equestrian skills while driving a carriage
The monarch took her seat in the stands at the horsey event back in May, alongside Prince Edward, Lady Brabourne and Sophie
Paying tribute to Prince Philip, Lady Louise drove Philip’s carriage around the arena during the emotional procession at the finale of the ‘Gallop Through History’ Platinum Jubilee event in May, which was staged by the Royal Windsor Horse Show.
The Queen appeared emotional as her granddaughter drove the carriage belonging to her late husband, during the moving tribute.
During that week, the monarch had also been pictured watching with pride as Lady Louise, driving the Duke of Edinburgh’s carriage, led the Fell Pony Society centenary parade at the Windsor Royal Horse show.
The Prince of Wales (right) and the Duke of Sussex before holding a vigil beside the coffin of their grandmother
Mourners watched as the vigil was held for the Queen in Westminster Hall by her eight grandchildren on Saturday evening
Zara Tindall, Lady Louise Windsor and Princess Beatrice of York at Saturday evening’s vigil in Westminster Hall
Queen Elizabeth II ‘s grandchildren Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, James, Viscount Severn and Princess Eugenie inside Westminster Hall
Zara Tindall, Lady Louise, Princess Beatrice, the Prince of Wales, the Duke of Sussex, Princess Eugenie, Viscount Severn and Peter Phillips hold a vigil beside the coffin
From left, Zara Tindall, Lady Louise Windsor and Princess Beatrice hold a vigil in Westminster Hall, London
Princess Eugenie of York mount a vigil around the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II in Westminster Hall on Saturday evening
Prince William, Prince of Wales, Peter Phillips, Zara Tindall, James, Viscount Severn, Britain’s Princess Eugenie of York, Britain’s Lady Louise Windsor, Britain’s Princess Beatrice of York and Britain’s Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, depart having held a vigil around the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II
Tonight’s sombre engagement saw the monarch’s grandchildren hold a vigil for the first time comes a week after Princess Anne became the first woman to take part in the Vigil of the Princes, a ceremony that has been held twice before: following the deaths of King George VI, and of the Queen Mother. On both occasions only male descendants took part.
As tearful mourners watched on, the Queen’s four children stood guard of their mother’s coffin for more than 10 minutes at Westminster Hall on Friday evening. The siblings each guarded a side of the coffin, with Charles, dressed in a Navy Admiral uniform, standing at the head.
Tonight’s event follows yesterday’s emotional vigil, which saw members of the royal family looking solemn and emotional as they watched the Queen‘s children guard her coffin in a vigil on Friday night.
King Charles, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward repeated their ceremonial Vigil of Princes that they had first carried out at St Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh as their mother the Queen lies in state.
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