Royal | News - Prince Ricardo De La Cerda
According to new reports, Lady Louise Windsor is taking a leaf from Queen Elizabeth’s book when it comes to a royal military tradition.
Lady Louise has been reportedly supplementing her English degree at St. Andrews University with an Officer Training Course having recently joined St Andrews University Officers’ Training Corps.
Pictures showed Lady Louise standing with her students in a camouflage outfit at a Scottish Martial Traditions evening at Edinburgh Castle, wearing camouflage on her face while standing in a field with her peers.
The daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh is not the only royal who has shown enthusiasm for the responsibilities and importance of the armed forces, as the Spanish royal, Leonor, Princess of Asturias, has just embarked on a six-month military voyage.
King Felipe and Queen Letizia of Spain bid a tearful farewell as they waved by to their 19-year-old heir who set sail from Cadiz onboard the ship Juan Sebastian Elcano, marking the start of her navy training mission.
Princess Leonor will follow in the footsteps of her father, King Felipe, and her grandfather, King Juan Carlos, as she sails across the Atlantic.
Before her journey, the future Queen practised operations and training on the vessel and participated in “various seamanship instruction and manoeuvring activities, including mast climbing.”
According to Hello! Magazine, The Spanish King spoke fondly about her training: “This year, she is doing so as a 1st Class Midshipman of the Military Naval School, just a few days after embarking on the Training Ship Juan Sebastián de Elcano, as I myself did 38 years ago, and beginning her 17th training cruise.
“An experience, dear Leonor, that will surely remain – as it happened to me (and also to your grandfather) – among your best memories of military training.”
Louise, 21, is also enjoying her university military training. A source told The Sun: “Louise has loved every minute of being a member of the officer cadets at university.
“She’s received basic Army officer training and is more determined than ever to serve King and country in the future.
“She fitted the officer training corps around her studies and has benefited hugely from the skills that she’s been taught.”
At the moment, Louise is in her third year at university and is set to graduate this summer.
While her future steps after university have not been confirmed, it is believed Louise is eager to follow in the footsteps of the late Queen, who was in the Auxiliary Territorial Service as a Junior Commander in the Second World War.