8 things you didn’t know about Prince Louis – including the £8k gift he’s not allowed to use & why he’s always in shorts
PRINCE Louis is the cheeky youngster loved for his comical facial expressions at Royal events.
His antics have awarded him national treasure status and fans love to see what capers he’ll get up to next.
As the youngest child of the Prince and Princess of Wales turns six today, we take a look inside his life and reveal eight things you may not know about him…
Baby’s arrival: All about the birth
The third child of Prince William and Kate – Prince Louis Arthur Charles – was born at 11:01am on 23 April 2018, weighing 8lbs 7oz.
Kate gave birth to the little darling in the Lindo Wing of St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington.
Louis, who is now fourth in line to the throne, was swaddled in the same blanket Kate used for George and Charlotte as babies.
He was given six godparents – Nicholas van Cutsem, Guy Pelly, Harry Aubrey-Fletcher, Lady Laura Meade, Hannah Carter, and Lucy Middleton – including a nightclub owner, one of William’s oldest friends and a cousin of Kate’s, who works as a solicitor in London.
Ride on: His fun hobby
Like many children his age, Louis loves to zip about on his bike or scooter.
Back in autumn 2020, Kate shared an update on her youngest child during a phone call with four-year-old Mila – a finalist from the Duchess’ Hold Still photography project.
Kate told the little girl: “Louis has got so big now, he’s very quick running around and he’s on his little scooter as well.
“He’s very quick. I can’t keep up with him.”
Dig this: Even a Prince loves farm life
Not only does he love bikes and scooters, but he also enjoys watching diggers and tractors at work.
During a talk with Lloyd Graham from construction company Keltbray, Prince William revealed: “The children, especially Louis, would love to come and watch that, to see the diggers, they love it.”
William also spoke of Louis’ love of farm life, as he said of a half-term holiday: “We’ve been lambing with the children this week.
More about Prince Louis
WITH his cheeky grin and playful nature, Prince Louis has certainly made his mark on the Royal family.
The royal is the youngest son of the Prince and Princes of Wales and like his siblings, has an impressive title.
Kate and Prince William‘s youngest child holds the formal title of His Royal Highness Prince Louis of Wales.
Before his father was made Prince of Wales upon the death of his grandmother The Queen, he was known as His Royal Highness Prince Louis of Cambridge.
Another title he bears is His Royal Highness Prince Louis of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
“Louis loves the tractors. They love seeing the lambs and feeding the lambs.”
Beet it: His favourite vegetable revealed
While many small children will turn their nose up at vegetables, it turns out that little Louis is a big fan, in particular of beetroot.
During a TV Christmas special, Kate told TV chef Mary Berry that the family grow their own vegetables, as she noted: “We’ve got carrots, beans, beetroot – a massive favourite – Louis absolutely loves beetroot.”
Inspired by Louis’ love of the vegetable, Mary even made a beetroot and chocolate cake during the programme, A Berry Royal Christmas.
The much-loved TV personality then said on the show: “I want to create a recipe with the young Prince in mind.”
Super cereal: Louis’ surprisingly normal breakfast
Despite having chefs to cater their meals, it seems Louis likes a very normal bowl of cereal in the morning.
When Kate visited LEYF (London Early Years Foundation) Stockwell Gardens Nursery and Pre-school in London in January 2020, she served breakfast to children and spoke of her own brood’s meal preferences.
Why did William and Kate name their son Louis?
As with most royal names, Prince Louis’ one comes with a poignant meaning.
The name Louis – which originates from France and Germany – means “famous warrior’ or “famous in battle”.
Louis is one of his father Prince William‘s own middle names.
It was chosen by his father King Charles as tribute to his late mentor, Lord Louis Mountbatten.
The Earl was murdered in 1979 by an IRA bomb which was planted on his fishing boat during an outing with his family in County Sligo, Ireland.
Speaking shortly after Louis’ birth, editor of Majesty magazine Joe Little said of his name: “I am a bit surprised, actually. We all seem to have missed Louis, when we were thinking Arthur or Albert or James.
“We didn’t consider it because it’s George’s middle name, and William’s middle name, and I just didn’t think William and Kate would recycle a name they had used for their first-born.
“I didn’t think it would be Albert, as that doesn’t pass the modern playground test.”
School manager Michelle Samuels told today.com: “She mentioned to the children that her own children enjoy apples and cereal in the morning, which sparked a conversation with the children about their own preference of fruits.”
Novel idea: £8k book from Uncle Harry
Lucky for Louis, having Prince Harry as an uncle means that he isn’t a stranger to receiving lavish gifts.
It’s reported that Prince Harry spent a rather princely sum of £8,000 on a very special present for little Louis’ christening, and the gift had touching links to Diana, too.
The Princess was known to be a passionate collector of first edition books and so, for Prince Louis’ big day, Uncle Harry is said to have purchased a first edition copy of A.A Milne’s Winnie the Pooh from 1926.
A source revealed to The Mirror: “One of Harry’s happiest childhood memories was being read a bedtime story by his mother.
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“She loved all the old classics and Harry had the brilliant idea of starting a little library of first editions for Louis, Charlotte and George to enjoy as they get older.
“He originally wanted to get Lewis Carroll’s Through The Looking Glass, which was on sale for £24,000, but decided Winnie The Pooh would be more suitable for a first time.”
Hol lot of fun: Five-star jetsetter
He may only be five, but Louis has already visited the luxury private island of Mustique in the Caribbean at least twice.
Kate and her side of the family are big fans of the swanky destination, and checked in for George’s sixth birthday, reportedly staying in a £27,000-a-week villa.
The property was said to boast a full team of staff including a butler, chef, housekeeper and gardener, as well as its own pool and luxury garden.
A royal source told Fabulous: “It is incredibly private and incredibly discreet but not remote. They know and trust the staff who work there and they are creatures of habit.”
The 1,400-acre island, which is part of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, has hosted a number of royal and A-lister holidaymakers over the years from Princess Margaret to Mick Jagger.
The family have also taken Louis – along with George and Charlotte – skiing to the posh resort Courchevel, France.
Style icon: Always in shorts
Louis stole the show at Trooping the Colour, and was seen waving to the crowds alongside his siblings.
But royal fans were quick to comment on his adorable outfit, and pointed out that he was once again dressed in smart shorts.
But it turns out that there is a reason behind five-year-old Louis nearly always being dressed in shorts.
Etiquette expert William Hanson explained that trousers are considered too “middle class and suburban” for the elite.
He told the Sun Online: “Not only does the Duchess of Cambridge have to worry about dressing herself but she has to dress her own children appropriately.
“She has to find a balance between royal tradition, heritage and more proletariat customs, such as the ‘suburban’ habit of making young boys wear trousers.”
William said the dress code harks back to historic traditions that state “shorts are for little boys, trousers are for men”.
The etiquette expert advised that young royal males typically start wearing trousers at around “seven or eight years old”.
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