Queen Elizabeth II's 'favourite' granddaughter Lady Louise hit by A levels cancellation
SOPHIE, COUNTESS OF WESSEX and Prince Edward's eldest daughter Lady Louise Windsor is said to be the Queen's favourite grandaughter and is among millions of British teenagers to be hit by the Government's decision to cancel A-level and GCSE exams amid the pandemic.
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Sophie, Countess of Wessex, 55, and Queen Elizabeth II's youngest son Prince Edward, 56, have two teenage children - Lady Louise Windsor, 17, and James, Viscount Severn, 13. The Wessex family are said to be royal favourites and the Queen holds them in great esteem. Lady Louise and James were the first of the Queen's grandchildren to visit her at Balmoral at the end of the first lockdown last summer.
Lady Louise is currently a sixth form pupil at private girls school St Mary's Ascot where she is studying for her A-Levels.
Like millions of teenagers across the country, the young royal will be affected by the Government's decision to cancel GCSE and A-Level exams this year due to the pandemic.
Schools are expected to remain closed until March during lockdown with remote-learning due to take place until after February half-term at the earliest.
On Wednesday, Education Secretary Gavin Williamson confirmed the cancelled exams would be replaced by school-based assessments this year.
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Addressing the House of Commons Mr Williamson said exams for 14 to 18-year-olds - used to determine entry to colleges and university - would be replaced by teacher-assessed grades.
Mr Williamson said: "Although exams are the fairest way we have of assessing what a student knows, the impact of this pandemic now means that it is not possible to have these exams this year."
Mr Williamson sparked fierce criticism earlier this year for relying on an algorithm to determine students' grades.
The minister was forced to abandon the system after flaws produced unfair results for some students, affecting their admission to universities.
Following a public outcry, the algorithm-determined results were replaced with teachers' predicted grades where students felt they had been marked too low.
When will schools reopen?
School closures are due to be reviewed by the British government following February half-term.
February half-term for most schools in England is from Monday, February 15 to Friday, February 19 2021.
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Last year, Sophie revealed her wish for Louise to one day attend university.
The Countess said: “She’s working hard and will do A-levels.
"I hope she goes to university. I wouldn’t force her, but if she wants to. She’s quite clever.”
While Sophie and Edward's children were born with HRH styles the couple decided to raise them without royal titles.
Rather than being known as princess and prince, Lady Louise and James are styled after their father's Earl of Wessex peerage.
Whether or not they choose to use their HRH styles when they turn 18 is up to them.
Sophie previously revealed she and Edward are raising their children to expect to have to work for a living.
In the year since Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's departure from the Firm, Sophie and Edward have taken on an increasing number of royal duties.