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Lady Louise Windsor is likely to never know life as a working royal. An expert says it’s “doubtful” the 20-year-old daughter of Prince Edward and Sophie, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, will ever formally represent the monarchy. Instead, she’s poised to take after one of her non-working royal cousins. Why? The “most common complaint” about the British royal family: cost.

The ‘cost too much’ complaint is expected to keep Louise from working royal life

According to royal expert Jennie Bond, Louise isn’t on her way to becoming a working royal. Yes, even in light of King Charles III and Kate Middleton being diagnosed with cancer. 

The reason, she told OK! Magazine, is the “most common complaint” about the royal family, how much they cost taxpayers. 

“It’s clear that for the next 15 years or so, depending on when Prince George decides to take up, full-time royal duties, the working royals are going to become extremely thin on the ground,” she said.

“But I’m doubtful that Lady Louise would ever become a full-time working royal. Partly because I’m not sure she would want to. And also because the king and William know only too well that the monarchy has to be increasingly accountable to the taxpayer.” 

Louise is currently a sophomore at St. Andrew’s University, the Prince and Princess of Wales’ alma mater, in Scotland. 

“The most common complaint about the royal family is that they cost too much,” she added. “Extra working royals would mean extra staff, extra administration, extra security extra cost. And that is not the direction that either the king or William want to take.”

Louise may try emulating Zara Tindall’s life of ‘independence and freedom’

Zara Tindall and Lady Louise Windsor at Princess Eugenie's wedding
Zara Tindall and Lady Louise Windsor | Owen Humphreys – WPA Pool/Getty Images

Bond continued, saying Louise may very well look to her cousin, Zara Tindall, 42, as a role model and “follow a similar course” in life. 

“Louise is only 20, she is enjoying university life,” the former BBC commentator said. “And she undoubtedly casts an eye at her cousin, Zara Tindall.” 

Daughter to Princess Anne, Tindall is married with three children. While she isn’t a working royal, she’s a fixture at many family events. 

Louise, she went on, probably “sees the independence and freedom and fun she [Tindall] has in her life as a much-loved member of the royal family. But not a working royal. I would bet that Louise will follow a similar course.”

Prince Edward and Sophie don’t expect Louise to become a working royal

According to Louise’s mom, Sophie, she and Edward haven’t raised their children — Louise has a younger brother, James, Earl of Wessex — to expect positions as working royals. 

“We try to bring them up with the understanding that they are very likely to have to work for a living,” Sophie told the U.K.’s The Sunday Times in 2020.

“Hence we made the decision not to use HRH [His/Her Royal Highness] titles,” she explained. “They have them and can decide to use them from 18, but it’s highly unlikely.” 

Louise turned 18 on Nov. 8, 2021. Since then, she hasn’t opted to use her HRH title. Meanwhile, James will have the same choice when he turns 18 in 2025. 

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