Inside Kate Middleton's Relationship With Her Youngest Son Louis
When Prince William finally got down on one knee and asked Princess Catherine to marry him, the British public let out a sigh of relief. William and Catherine had been together for years and she had picked up the nickname "Waity Kaity," given how long it took for William to finally pop the question.
Still, when they got engaged, it became clear that the new royal couple would be superstars within the family, and time has certainly proved that estimation right. The wedding was the event of the decade, and shortly thereafter, William and Catherine announced that they were expecting their first child together. Prince George came along, followed by his sister, Princess Charlotte, and the family of four forged ahead as the golden members of the monarchy. Then, a few years later, baby No.3 was announced. It seemed as though Prince Louis arrived with all the force to be reckoned with, and the public was thrilled that William and Catherine had another bundle of joy to introduce.
Louis has garnered quite a reputation throughout his short life for creative mischief and rocking some seriously funny faces. As a baby, he definitely seemed like he was the sibling in charge: By the time he started appearing on the royal balcony alongside his mom and dad, his facial expressions and obvious displays of joy (and boredom) became meme-worthy. Of course, he has a close relationship with his mom — after all, he is the baby of the group.
Pregnancy was tough for Princess Catherine with Prince Louis
Though the public was thrilled for Princess Catherine when she announced her pregnancy — or all three of them, we should say — she did have to retreat a bit from royal engagements. Unfortunately, Catherine suffered from a horrific pregnancy illness called hyperemesis gravidarum, which stopped her from holding down any food. As such, things with her third child, Prince Louis, were tough for Catherine from the start.
She reflected on the experience about two years after Louis was born. Appearing on Giovanna Fletcher's "Happy Mum, Happy Baby" podcast (via Hello!), the Princess of Wales noted just how awful her pregnancy was, sharing, "[It was] utterly rotten. I was really sick. I wasn't eating the things I should be eating and yet the body was still able to take all the goodness from my body and to grow new life, which I think is fascinating."
Adding that her husband, Prince William, felt a bit useless as she battled her sickness as there wasn't much he could do to help her, Catherine further shared of Louis' actual delivery, "Because it had been so bad during pregnancy, I actually really quite liked labor ... Because actually it was an event that I knew there was going to be an ending to. ... No pregnancy is the same, no birth is the same."
Princess Catherine reflected on her growing boy with fellow parents in 2019
Prince Louis came into the world on April 23, 2018, completing the now family of five. Princess Catherine, of course, took time away from her royal engagements after having him, but she was back on the public scene shortly thereafter. By January 2019, she was starting to share more and more about the little guy, and during a visit to the Victoria and Albert Museum in Dundee, Scotland, she gave a much-needed update about her young son. "Louis is a fast crawler," she said at the time, according to photographer Mark Stewart who relayed her comments to People.
Two months later, Catherine gave yet another quick update about Louis, telling parents gathered to greet her outside of the Henry Fawcett Children's Centre that he was already giving her a run for her money. "Louis just wants to pull himself up all the time," Catherine said at the time. "He has got these little walkers and is bombing around in them."
In May 2019, rounding out the updates she gave about her young son, Catherine told parents that the one-year-old was absolutely keeping her on her toes. "I turned around the other day and he was at the top of the slide — I had no idea!" she shared about Louis, clearly noting that the little one was already marching to the beat of his own drum.
The mother of three shared one of Prince Louis' first words and it was beyond adorable
Anyone who is a fan of British television knows that the content from across the pond isn't complete without "The Great British Baking Show." Luckily for those in the United States, the classic British baking competition is uploaded to Netflix as it airs, allowing all of us to soak in the charming contestants and the cold stares of Paul Hollywood.
Judge Mary Berry was a staple on the show for many years and is a well-known figure in Britain for her classic cookbooks and sweet treats. As it happens, Princess Catherine has some of Berry's cookbooks in her kitchen, and they just so happened to be at Prince Louis' walking level when he was a little guy learning to talk. Appearing alongside Berry during a Christmas special in 2019, Catherine shared that one of Louis' first words was "Mary" due to the cookbooks being within his reach as he was forming his words (via Daily Mail).
"And children are really fascinated by faces, and your faces are all over your cooking books and he would say 'That's Mary Berry,'" Catherine shared of her young son with the legendary baking judge. "So he would definitely recognize you if he saw you today," she said. Be still our mom hearts — how cute is that?
The princess revealed her favorite way to spend time with her youngest child
As Prince William and Princess Catherine have raised their three children, they've made it clear that while they all exist within the public eye to an extent, they're adamant about giving their kids as normal of an upbringing as possible. With that in mind, Catherine has been dedicated to getting her three kiddos outside and in the fresh air whenever possible, and while appearing on the "Happy Mum, Happy Baby" podcast, she shared that her most cherished time with her kids is spent while they're "outside in the countryside and we're all filthy dirty" (via Yahoo!). For a duchess-turned-princess, we honestly love to see it.
As for Prince Louis specifically, Catherine shared with fellow parents just how much her little one loves being outdoors. Appearing at the "Back to Nature" festival in Wisley in 2019, Catherine chatted with those gathered to meet her and shared that Louis — who was just about a year old at the time — loved being around plants. Sarah Griffiths, who was in the crowd, shared with People after the fact what the then-Duchess of Cambridge had revealed about her young son. "She was telling us how her son Louis loves smelling flowers. He enjoys being outside," Griffiths said.
Princess Catherine offered a sweet update about Prince Louis amid the COVID-19 lockdown
Of course, life as we knew it came to a grinding halt as the COVID-19 pandemic took hold. To say that the world completely shut down is an understatement, and international communities went from reveling in each other's company and operating harmoniously to staying indoors, getting groceries delivered, avoiding contact, and figuring out how to raise kids in a very scary and ever-changing world. Though royal, Prince William and Princess Catherine certainly weren't immune to the changing dynamics, and they kept their children as close to home as the rest of us. Giving a small update about Prince Louis specifically during a video appearance (via E!), Catherine shared of her young son during lockdown, "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."
And just like that, the next time that the public saw Louis as pandemic-era protocols eased, he was a little boy rather than a toddling baby. Gone were the days of stealing his mom's sunglasses and giving the royal a run for her money — instead, the public got to witness this hysterical little guy who knew how to pose for the camera, make a funny face, tease his siblings, and receive adoring cuddles from his grandpa. Though his transformation seemed to take place overnight, Louis grew up amid the pandemic and emerged on the other side with his larger-than-life personality.
Princess Catherine still sees Prince Louis as her 'baby'
Any mom can tell you that the infant period is not easy, but it also goes by extremely quickly. Before you know it, your little one is walking, talking, demanding Cheerios, and heading off to preschool without batting an eye. For Princess Catherine, watching little Prince Louis grow up has been especially challenging, and she reflected on her young son while chatting with greeters during a visit to Brent. Referring to Louis as her baby, Catherine said at the time, "I keep thinking Louis is my baby, but he's a proper boy now" (via Elle). Of course, the public had just seen Louis ride in the carriage procession during the Trooping the Colour event for the first time, and to say that he had fully come into his own as a young boy with bundles of energy is an understatement.
Of course, Catherine has been incredibly intentional as a mom, and around the same time she shared her thoughts about her little one growing up, an insider told Hello! that the princess was more determined than ever to stay grounded as a parent. "Kate takes her kids to the trampoline park quite regularly and really blends in as any other mum," the insider said at the time, reflecting on watching Catherine interact with Louis and his older brother, Prince George, while at the south-west London hangout spot.
Prince Louis sweetly comforted his mom after Queen Elizabeth II's passing
Though she was advancing in age and had canceled several appearances due to health reasons, the world still seemed to stand still after Queen Elizabeth II died in September 2022. She had been a staple of life — both royal and otherwise — for seven decades, and many of us had never known a monarchy without her in charge. As for the royal family, they came out in full force to honor her life in the wake of her passing, and the Windsor walkabout was certainly one of the most talked-about appearances.
In a stunning reunion, Prince William, Princess Catherine, Prince Harry, and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, emerged from the grounds of Windsor Castle and spent the time talking with mourners and thanking them for their support. Though much of the attention was spent on the reunion of the two couples — who have certainly been at odds for years — Catherine also shared a touching update about her young son, Prince Louis, amid his great-grandmother's passing.
In a video posted by NBC News, Catherine was seen chatting with the crowd, sharing, "My little Louis is just so sweet. He said, 'Mummy don't worry, because she's now with great-grandpa.'" Catherine could be seen choking up a bit as she shared her sweet boy's comforting words, and the entire interaction was just so touching.
Fans have noticed just how much Prince Louis looks like Princess Catherine as he grows up
As the Cambridge kids have grown up in the public eye, it's been fun to watch them come into their own. Of course, parallels have been drawn between them and their parents, and to say that Prince George and Princess Charlotte are spitting images of their father Prince William is an understatement. They have his eye shape, his smile, his coloring — everything about the two older kids screams house of Windsor. Prince Louis, meanwhile, looks exactly like his mom, Princess Catherine, and this has become even more apparent as he's gotten older.
As the Princess of Wales, Catherine has continued to champion causes close to her heart, and one of them is her "Shaping Us" initiative that focuses on parenthood and the importance of the early childhood years. During the initiative's kickoff event, Catherine shared photos of herself as a kid with the crowd, pictured interacting with her father, Michael Middleton. Immediately, fans commented on just how similar Louis and Catherine look, with many taking to social media to point out the parallels (via Daily Mail).
Regarding her platform and the importance of interacting with children at a young age, Catherine said of "Shaping Us," "I hope you'll also consider joining me in sharing a picture of yourselves before your fifth birthday to help with those conversations and to share some smiles and memories too." Hopefully, that means that we'll get even more pictures of little Louis.
Princess Catherine is said to be feeling saddened by how quickly Prince Louis is growing up
Princess Catherine has watched as her three children have grown up. It seems only yesterday that Prince George was born, but he's already a pre-teen who has a heightened role of importance within the royal family. Prince Louis, meanwhile, is the baby of the bunch, but he too is growing up at the speed of sound. Taking to Instagram to honor Mother's Day in the U.K. in March 2023, Catherine shared an adorable photo of her sitting in a tree with her three kids. In the carousel of photos, however, was a sweet snap of the mom holding little Louis like he was a baby, smiling down on him as he laughed.
Commenting on her body language and the touching moment caught on camera, body language expert Judi James shared that the photo is indicative of Catherine's feelings about her youngest son — she simply doesn't want him to grow up so quickly.
"This pose shows Kate fully back in 'mum' role again, cradling Louis in her arms and looking down with a warm, loving and caring smile," James told the Daily Mail. "Louis was always the child she tended to carry around the most when he was a baby. Although she clearly cherishes the way he is growing up to be confident, spontaneous and playful, this pose suggests there is also some bittersweet emotions about losing that constant mother/baby contact."
The mom of three revealed her son's request when he gets home from school
As their kids got older, Prince William and Princess Catherine decided to take them out of London — where they had been residing at Kensington Palace for years — and move them to the countryside. As of this writing, the family of five lives at Adelaide Cottage in Windsor, allowing them much more privacy and a chance to go about daily life as normally as possible. Of course, schooling has been a focal point for the parents, and they enrolled their children at Lambrook School in Windsor, just a short distance from their residence. Though the school is private, costs a ton of money, and surely provides the royal children with an excellent education, Prince Louis is still an outdoorsy kid at heart, and has continued to make his preference of being outside clear.
While visiting a therapy garden in Wales, Catherine gave a much-needed (and very sweet) update about her youngest son, sharing that his habit of going outside and smelling the flowers hasn't gone away with age (via Daily Mail). "Louis comes home and says, 'I need to get my energy out,'" Catherine revealed, noting that he shoots for the garden at the very first chance he can. We know a ton of parents who would love for their kid to get out all their energy after being cooped up at school for the day. Can Catherine start a mom blog and share some pointers?
Princess Catherine is said to be worried about Prince Louis' role as a 'spare' within the royal family
As Prince Harry has carved out a space for himself outside of the royal family, much attention has been paid to the role he played growing up. Openly referred to as the "spare" to Prince William's heir, Harry was often seen as the sidekick, and he poignantly named his memoir after the negative moniker. As they've gotten older, Prince William and Princess Catherine's kids have been cast in a similar light — Prince George is the heir to the throne after his father, but Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis will likely never rule, making them the spares just as Harry was. As more and more attention has been paid to the toxic dynamic that Harry was brought up in, William and Catherine are said to be incredibly focused on how their younger children are raised and perceived, especially their youngest, Prince Louis.
Royal expert Tom Quinn commented on the matter, telling Express (via Yahoo!) that Harry forced a new kind of awareness onto the family with his own candidness. "I think because the royal family now is so aware of the mistakes that they've made in the past, especially with bringing up children, [that] they will make enormous efforts to make sure that Louis doesn't feel like a lost soul," he said. Though there's been conflict between the brothers, perhaps Harry's efforts haven't been lost on his older brother, Catherine, and how they raise their children.
Prince Louis shows his support for Princess Catherine at events
As Prince Louis grows up, he is gradually introduced into the royal spotlight. With his siblings and parents by his side, Prince Louis' attendance at significant moments such as King Charles III's coronation has signaled that we can expect to see more of him at public events. The year 2023 especially seemed to represent a significant year for the young royal as he took on his first royal engagement in May and then made his first-ever appearance at his mum's third annual Christmas Carol Concert in December.
The tradition of Princess Catherine's Christmas Carol Concert began in December 2021 as a celebration of those who supported their communities during the COVID-19 pandemic. With musical performances by the esteemed choir of Westminster Abbey as well as readings by prominent figures such as the Prince of Wales, the festive service has become an annual royal tradition. When Prince Louis made his first appearance at the televised Christmas special in December 2023, the occasion became even more significant as it was the first time that Catherine's youngest child showed support for the event.
Prince Louis' debut could not have been more special as he entered, hand in hand with Prince William, into the beautiful light of Westminster Abbey. Not only did Louis enjoy the music with a candle in his hand, but he and his siblings also took part in a tradition of writing and mailing notes for children going through difficult times.
Princess Catherine is playful with Prince Louis
Early on in his life, Prince Louis displayed his unique ability to steal the spotlight. Whether he's making silly faces on the royal balcony or getting caught yawning during King Charles III's coronation, Prince Louis is unafraid to show his personality — even when his playfulness can border on downright mischief. Princess Catherine's unique responsibility of parenting this spirited young royal in the public eye has led to some adorable and relatable moments caught on camera. Knowing when to match her son with her own playful side all while retaining her composure is a remarkable, and heartwarming, feat.
In June 2022, Queen Elizabeth II held her Platinum Jubilee over four days that were packed with grandiose celebrations as well as the meme-worthy reactions of 4-year-old Prince Louis. One of these attention-capturing moments occurred on the final day of the festivities when Prince Louis joined his family in watching the Jubilee Pageant parade. The young prince, who was amlready showing signs of his restlessness during the event, freely gave his mom a piece of his mind. As Prince Louis made faces, stuck his tongue out, and even covered his mum's mouth with his hand at one point, Princess Catherine retained her composure and could even be caught smiling. The playfulness of this moment between the two of them made everyone else either relate to Catherine, relate to Louis, or smile at the bond the two so obviously share.
Princess Catherine greatly values her son's mental health
When identifying the things Princess Catherine values as a mother of three, you need only look at the causes she's involved in. Two of the Princess of Wales' central passions are the healthy development of young children and mothers, as well as raising mental health awareness. Through her work with the Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood, Princess Catherine supports campaigns for the physical and mental health of young people. Landing perfectly in the age range she advocates for is her youngest child, Prince Louis, whose school also wants to support his mental health.
In 2022, Prince Louis and his siblings began at Lambrook School after their big move to the countryside. Lambrook's values appear to be in line with Princess Catherine's according to an interview she gave with Fearne Cotton. In November 2023, the Princess of Wales told Cotton about a feelings chart that Prince Louis uses in class. Using this wheel, Prince Louis and his classmates can describe how they are feeling that day by picking a word or color represented on the chart. Catherine's enthusiasm for starting the conversation around mental health early was written in the smile on her face as she told Cotton, "It's actually helping continuity across the board and then how does that feed into you, with your mental health — it's [the] same conversation, so to be able to find a bit of framework to talk about this, is very important" (via People).
Both mother and son appear to love Wimbledon
It's no secret that Princess Catherine enjoys attending the Wimbledon Championships every year. In fact, she has become quite well-known for her always-on-point fashion choices and her hilariously animated reactions while watching the iconic event. A dedicated tennis player herself, the Princess of Wales became the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club's patron in 2016. As expected, Princess Catherine was once again in attendance at the famous event in May 2023 in a stunning ensemble of green. Though she was joined by Princess Charlotte, who was making her Wimbledon debut, Prince George, who made his debut the summer before in 2022, and her husband, Princess Catherine's box was missing one more notable royal: Prince Louis.
Catherine addressed the young royal's absence by revealing that Prince Louis was "upset" about missing Wimbledon with his parents and his siblings (via Hello!). Though he was most likely too young to attend in 2023, Prince Louis is apparently very enthusiastic about Wimbledon and shows great eagerness to go. According to Newsweek, Princess Catherine described how Prince Louis "tries to practice standing and staying serious like us. He tries to practice the stands and how we stand at the back of the court and next to the players." Although he was sitting in the royal box this year, there is no doubt that Prince Louis will one day be present at Wimbledon and have the chance to share his passions with his mum.
Princess Catherine has the cutest nickname for Prince Louis
As if the relationship between Princess Catherine and Prince Louis couldn't get any cuter, a video released in May 2023 revealed the adorable nickname that Princess Catherine has for her youngest. In the spirit of the Big Help Out Initiative — an annual event in which volunteers support their communities — Princess Catherine, Prince William, and all three of their children came together one afternoon to help their local 3rd Upton Scout Group. This event also marked Prince Louis' first official royal engagement. With his family to support him, Prince Louis participated in activities that included shoveling, painting, pushing a wheelbarrow, and, best of all, toasting s'mores over the fire.
Captured in a video that became incredibly popular amongst royal fans, Princess Catherine walked Prince Louis through the process of toasting his marshmallow on a wooden stick. After he was finished, Catherine revealed the affectionate nickname she has for the young prince when she encouraged him to "Pop that in the fire, Lou Bug" (per X, formerly Twitter). At another point in the day's activities, Prince Louis used a shovel to fill a wheelbarrow with dirt before pushing it. Catherine cheered her youngest on as he completed this task, saying, "Great job, Lou Bug" (via Daily Mail). Not only did Prince Louis have a fun day that included archery and contributing his handprint in paint to a mural, but we were all happy to learn about the adorable nickname.
Would Princess Catherine ever have another baby?
With all the attention paid to Prince Louis and Princess Catherine's dynamic — as she clearly adores her little one and will always see him as her baby, no matter his age — it's worth asking if she would ever have another baby. As it turns out, Catherine certainly seems sold on the idea of having baby No.4, while Prince William doesn't appear so convinced. While on a trip to Scotland (which took place after Louis was born), Catherine interacted with young children while visiting St. John's Primary School in Glasgow. The mom of three was clearly smitten with the little ones, leading William to remark, "Can you get my wife out of here before she gets broody?" clearly indicating that she had another baby on the brain (via Elle).
William's quip came just shortly after he made another comment about Catherine's desire to have another baby. While the two took part in a royal engagement at the Clitheroe Community Hospital in Lancashire, the Princess of Wales lovingly looked upon a little girl, posing with her for photos (via People). Clearly seeing how much she was loving the baby, William piped up, "Don't give my wife any more ideas."
If his comments are anything to go off of, William and Catherine might be done having kids, keeping Louis in the baby spot forever.