She and her husband, James Hamilton, 1st Duke of Abercorn, had 13 children, and were "long remembered as the most handsome and most distinguished young couple of their generation.

"[1] Lady Louisa Jane Russell was born on Wednesday, 8 July 1812, at 2 Hamilton Place, Mayfair,[2][3] She was the sixth child of eight, and a second daughter for John Russell, 6th Duke of Bedford and Lady Georgiana Gordon.

[5] She made her debut in society aged 12 and met her future husband at a children's ball.

Their children were: In 1881, Louisa was invested as a Lady of the Royal Order of Victoria and Albert (3rd class).

She was still living at the time of the birth of her great-great-grandson, the future Prime Minister Alec Douglas-Home, on 2 July 1903.