WHEN Prince Philip passed away in 2021 he left a very special gift to his “favourite grandchild” – and it wasn’t Prince William or Prince Harry.

The late Duke of Edinburgh had been an avid carriage driver, and left his beloved ponies and carriage to granddaughter Lady Louise, who was 17 at the time.

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Lady Louise inherited Prince Philip’s beloved carriage and two ponies, following his death in 2021Credit: Getty

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Prince Philip pictured at the Royal Windsor Horse Show, competing In The Carriage Driving Championships which he wonCredit: Getty
Before his death on April 9, three years ago, Prince Philip had taught Lady Louise, who is the daughter of Prince Edward and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, how to drive carriages.

The husband of the late Queen Elizabeth II began carriage driving after giving up polo at the age of 50 in 1971 due to what he called his “dodgy” arthritic wrist.

He had a natural flair for the sport and even represented Great Britain in three European Championships and six World Championships.

In a book the Duke wrote: “I am getting old, my reactions are getting slower, and my memory is unreliable, but I have never lost the sheer pleasure of driving a team through the British countryside.”

In his role as President of FEI Global, Philip was responsible for the organisation of all equestrian sporting events at five Olympics Games.

A source told MailOnline after Philip’s death that Lady Louise was expected to regularly exercise Philip’s black ponies – Balmoral Nevis and Notlaw Storm – at Windsor, after inheriting them from the Duke of Edinburgh.

Lady Louise, now 20, was hailed as the Queen’s ‘favourite grandchild’, particularly following a visit to Balmoral, the monarch’s Scottish retreat, in the summer of 2019.

A royal insider said: “The Queen loves the fact that Louise and James relish their time at Balmoral, and she has become particularly close to Louise, who seems to have become her favourite grandchild, closely followed by James.”

Ingrid Seward previously told Fabulous Digital that the Queen likes “ordinary people more than she does those that pander to her”.

Louise is now 16th in line to the throne, behind her younger brother James, as they were both born before the 2013 Succession to the Crown Act, which officially ended the centuries-old rule that male offspring take precedence over females.

Prince William was envious of Harry when they were kids because he was so popular and so much fun
Philip’s ponies played a central role in his funeral on April, 17, 2021 as they pulled his custom-made four-wheeled carriage.

Philip started using his dark green carriage in the 90s and would ride on it in Windsor.

During the poignant funeral, his cap, whip and brown gloves were laid on a folded blanket on the seat – alongside a small red pot that Philip used to store sugar lumps for the ponies.

Covid restrictions meant the Queen sat alone inside St George’s Chapel at Windsor as she paid a final farewell to Prince Philip.

The royal line of succession

1. The Prince of Wales

2. Prince George of Wales

3. Princess Charlotte of Wales

4. Prince Louis of Wales

5. The Duke of Sussex

6. Prince Archie of Sussex

7. Princess Lilibet of Sussex

8. The Duke of York

9. Princess Beatrice, Mrs. Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi

10. Miss Sienna Mapelli Mozzi

11. Princess Eugenie, Mrs. Jack Brooksbank

12. Master August Brooksbank

13. Master Ernest Brooksbank

14. The Duke of Edinburgh

15. Earl of Wessex

16. The Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor

17. The Princess Royal

19. Miss Savannah Phillips

20. Miss Isla Phillips

Philip’s immediate family – including the late Queen, Princess Anne, the then-Prince Charles, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward – were top the list of mourners.

All of the duke’s grandchildren and their spouses – including William, Harry, Eugenie and Beatrice – also attended.

Three of Philip’s German relatives – Bernhard, the Hereditary Prince of Baden; Donatus, Prince and Landgrave of Hesse; and Prince Philipp of Hohenlohe-Langenburg – were among the attendees.

It’s not known how much Prince William or Prince Harry inherited from their late grandfather, but the Duke of Sussex reportedly did get an eye-wateringly large sum from the Queen Mother.

While the exact amount Harry inherited remains unknown, a 2002 BBC report says the “bulk” of her £14 million estate was to go to the Duke of Sussex “since William will benefit financially by becoming king.”

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Before his death, Prince Philip had taught Lady Louise the sport of carriage drivingCredit: Rex

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It hasn’t been disclosed how much Prince William and Prince Harry inherited from Prince PhilipCredit: Getty

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Prince William, Prince Harry, and Lady Louise, along with the rest of the Queen and Prince Philip’s grandchildren at her funeralCredit: Pixel8000

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The red pot at Philip’s funeral contained sugar cubes for his horses

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Lady Louise, daughter of Prince Edward and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, was said to have been very popular with the QueenCredit: AFP

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Lady Louise Windsor seen carriage driving at the Royal Windsor Horse Show at Home Park on May 13, 2022