Coronation Practice Bored King Charles To Tears — Then Prince Louis Stepped In

King Charles III's coronation might have been a grand affair, but it required two weeks of rehearsals to accomplish the perfect execution we watched on our television screens on May 6, 2023. A fortnight of doing the same thing over and over will drive anyone mad, and the king understandably grew tired of doing the routine for the umpteenth time. But then, Prince Louis made an appearance, and he changed Charles' whole demeanor. Louis' silly personality has a tendency to steal the show, and he caught the attention of former British defense secretary Dame Penny Mordaunt during His Majesty's coronation rehearsals. 

"We were doing dress rehearsals on the Thursday before, and the king was bored out of his mind. He'd just done two weeks of this, and he'd had enough," Mordaunt recalled during a speech at the 2026 Cheltenham Literature Festival (via The Telegraph). But then, almost as if he sensed his granddad's predicament, Louis popped in for a visit. Mordaunt detailed how the monarch "sprung to life" at the sight of his beloved grandson; Charles halted the rehearsal and showed Louis around instead, educating him about the crown jewels. 

It was a tender moment the former British defense secretary confirmed she'll remember fondly for the rest of her life. Louis might have broken some royal rules already, but looking at his relationship with Charles when they're in public hints that the young prince greatly admires his grandfather. Their special bond was on full display at Trooping the Colour 2025. Louis looked to His Majesty for cues as the royal family made their big balcony appearance, then copied Charles' hearty wave at the crowd with such zeal that he even continued to wave after everyone else went inside (Louis' mom had to come get him).

Royal watchers are understandably interested in King Charles III's relationship with his grandkids, and we'll admit, it's one of the sweetest things about him — especially when it comes to Charles's bond with Prince Louis. Fans caught a glimpse of their closeness at Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee in 2022, when a restless Louis eventually asked his father, Prince William, whether he could please go sit on his grandfather's lap. William got Charles' attention, asking him, "Grandpa, can Louis sit on your knee?" as expert lip reader Juliet Sullivan told the Daily Mail. Charles was all too happy to oblige, replying, "Of course," while his wife, Queen Camilla, was spotted chuckling at the endearing moment. With his father's permission, Louis marched over to his grandfather and plopped down on his lap, finally content. Notably, Charles has broken royal protocol for Louis too. 

At the 2026 Easter church service, the king gave his grandson an affectionate pat on the shoulder as they readied to enter the church. Body language expert Judi James pointed out how this gesture was significant. "It is a very unusual reward ritual from Charles, showing his softer side as a doting grandad," she explained to The Mirror. In 2018, Camilla also provided some insight into Charles' adorable relationship with his grandchildren in the documentary "Prince, Son and Heir: Charles at 70." "[He] will get down on his knees and crawl about with them for hours, you know, making funny noises and laughing," Camilla proudly shared, per InStyle, adding, "He reads 'Harry Potter,' and he can do all the different voices. And I think children really appreciate that." In the same documentary, William also sang his father's praises, calling him a "brilliant" grandfather (via Express).