Prince Philip proud as his granddaughter follows in his footsteps

His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh was seen beaming with pride as his youngest granddaughter, Lady Louise Windsor, displayed her carriage driving skills at the Royal Windsor Horse Show.

13-year-old Lady Louise took to the driver’s seat, continuing a family tradition started in 1943 which Prince Philip, at nearly 96-years-old, still participates in to this day. Louise’s proud parents, the Earl and Countess of Wessex, were seen snapping photographs of their daughter as she drove the red and black carriage once used by her grandmother, The Queen.

It was a royal-filled day at the meet of the British Driving Society with Louise’s brother James, Viscount Severn, seen spectating with Princess Anne’s son Peter Phillips, his wife Autumn and their children in the grandstand.

Held on the grounds of Windsor Castle, the five-day event is the UK’s largest outdoor horse show and was first held in 1943 as a war effort fundraiser. It is said to be The Queen’s favourite equestrian event of the year and she has attended every year one of the 72 years it has been run.

During this year’s event, the Duke of Edinburgh has been seen steering a horse-drawn carriage through the castle grounds, clearly determined not to let anything get in the way of the pastime he took up when he retired from polo at the age of 50.

The Duke has recently commented on what started him in carriage driving, saying: “I was looking round to see what next, I didn’t know what there was available. And I suddenly thought, well, we’ve got horses and carriages so why don’t I have a go. So I borrowed four horses from the stables in London, took them to Norfolk and practised and thought – why not?” Prince Philip went on to help to set up international rules for the sport of carriage driving.