Lady Louise Windsor's birth was 'very dramatic' according to the Queen's former press secretary, after Sophie Wessex went into labour four weeks early at Bagshot Park.
- Sophie Wessex's delivery of Lady Louise Windsor has been described as 'very dramatic' by Queen Elizabeth's former press secretary, who was one of the people to witness the historic birth.
- Prince Edward was unable to join his wife at the hospital, where she underwent an emergency C-section after reportedly losing several pints of blood.
- In other royal news, Princess Eugenie's new adorable video of August dancing at the zoo has fans saying he looks JUST like Lilibet.
Sophie Wessex’s delivery of Lady Louise Windsor has been described as a ‘very dramatic’ ordeal, with the royal in-law going into labour at Bagshot Park four weeks ahead of her due date.
Ailsa Anderson, Queen Elizabeth II’s former press secretary, has recounted her memories of the experience with the public – which was made all the more challenging by the absence of Sophie’s husband, Prince Edward.
At the time, the Earl of Wessex was abroad on an overseas royal engagement in Mauritius. Over 12 hours away, he was unable to make it back to support the countess through the birth of their first child.
Speaking on the latest episode of A Right Royal Podcast, via Hello!, Anderson revealed that she was "having a dinner party" at home when she received a phone call from Dr. Marcus Setchell, who was working as the gynaecologist to both the Queen and Sophie.
"He said, 'I'm in a police car on my way to Frimley Park hospital. You better come'. So I thought, crikey," the 43-year-old recalled. After ordering herself a taxi and letting her "husband do the washing up", she made her way to the Surrey hospital’s maternity unit to be with Sophie.
"They couldn't get a hold of her parents," Anderson remembered. "So basically, it was just me and Marcus and the courtiers in the hospital. It was so dramatic."
Lady Louise was delivered via an emergency cesarian at 11.32 pm on November 8th, 2003, before being taken straight to an intensive care unit in Tooting as a precautionary measure. At the time of her birth, the royal weighed less than five pounds. Sophie reportedly lost numerous pints of blood throughout the ordeal, requiring her to be hospitalised for a week after Lady Louise's arrival.
"Sophie was actually parted from her daughter for the first days after she was born, which she found very, very difficult," Rebecca English, royal editor at The Daily Mail, revealed in 2020 on the Channel 5 documentary, Edward & Sophie: The Reluctant Royals
