Lady Louise Windsor and James Viscount VII are reportedly Queen Elizabeth II’s favorite grandchildren.

Last summer, they were the first members of the royal family to visit the Queen and Prince Philip at Balmoral with their parents, Sophie, Countess of Wessex, and Prince Edward, after the lockdown restrictions were lifted.

The Wessex family lives in Bagshot Park in Surrey, just a short distance from Windsor Castle, which has enabled them to spend ample time with both their grandparents over the years.

In their first extensive joint interview, the Earl and Countess of Wessex spoke to The Telegraph about how they and their children were coping with the loss of Prince Philip in April and shed new light on family dynamics, including their close bond with the Queen.

During the interview, they revealed that they keep expecting to see Prince Philip arrive in his Greenland Rover Freelander.

As regular visitors to Windsor Castle, which is just 15 minutes from Bagshot, the Wessexes have spent many weekends riding through Windsor Great Park under the gimlet eye of its former ranger.

The Countess revealed that she and her family often stay on longer than the rest when they visit the Queen at one of her rural royal residences.

This concession can be taken as a sign that the Wessexes are firm favorites of the Queen.

Lady Louise Windsor was particularly close to her grandfather, who taught her carriage driving.

She has found solace in the sport following the Duke’s death and continues his legacy.

Sophie revealed how she and her daughter felt the Duke’s absence during a recent training session.

The Countess told The Telegraph that Louise went out training the other day, and she was standing there, expecting the Duke to turn up and give her a few tips or just ask her how things were going.

The Queen is well-known for her love of horses and the outdoors, passions which both Lady Louise and James seem to have inherited.

Sophie said that during lockdown, if things were kicking off inside, she would tell her children to go outside.

They would come back in with an entirely different mood.

Lady Louise would take herself off on her bike, and James is very self-motivated to get out, so it was never a struggle.

Explaining the Queen’s soft spot for Lady Louise and James, a royal source previously told The Sun that the Queen loves the fact that they relish their time at Balmoral.

She has become particularly close to Lady Louise, who seems to have become her favorite grandchild, closely followed by James.

Lady Louise also endeared herself to everyone by looking after William and Kate’s children when they were up there.

She loves drawing and sketching and was very patiently trying to get Charlotte to do pictures of rabbits and deer.

Sophie and Edward decided to raise their children without their HRH styles and Prince and Princess titles.

Lady Louise and James will be able to choose whether or not they wish to use them when they turn 18, which Lady Louise will in November.

In conclusion, Lady Louise Windsor and James Viscount VII are much loved by their grandparents, especially the Queen.

Lady Louise has found solace in carriage driving following the Duke’s death, and both she and James share their grandmother’s love of horses and the outdoors.

The Wessex family’s close bond with the Queen is evident in how often they stay on longer than others when they visit her at her rural royal residences.