Prince Louis celebrated his sixth birthday on April 24th, marking another milestone for the young prince who stands fourth in line to the British throne. Despite his promising future within the royal family, one individual, Prince Harry, harbors concerns for him.
Royal watchers eagerly awaited the customary birthday portrait, but its release seemed uncertain for a while. Speculation arose that, following the Mother’s Day photo controversy involving a manipulated image shared by Kate Middleton, the royal family opted to abstain from releasing a new portrait of Louis to avoid any potential conspiracy theories or negative publicity.
Ultimately, fans were delighted to catch a glimpse of Prince Louis, captured in a new portrait by Kate Middleton. However, according to body language expert Judi James, the latest image of Louis contains subtle signals that convey a deeper narrative.
While Prince Louis may not ascend to the throne, he holds significance as a senior member of the royal family. Nonetheless, doubts linger regarding his role, echoing the phrase “spare to the heir,” which has gained attention in recent years, particularly due to Prince Harry’s departure from the royal fold alongside Meghan Markle.
In his book “Spare,” Harry candidly expressed his belief that he would never match the importance of his elder brother, Prince William, who is destined to be king.
Harry’s concerns extend to Prince Louis and his older sister, Princess Charlotte, whom he fears might face similar challenges. In an interview with The Telegraph to promote his book, Harry once again broached the topic of William and Kate’s three children, underscoring the complexities of their future roles within the royal family.
“Though William and I have discussed it once or twice, and he has made it quite clear to me that his children are not my responsibility, I still feel a sense of duty knowing that out of those three children, at least one will end up like me, the spare,” Harry revealed.
“And that hurts, that worries me.”
Harry continued, “I was brought into the world in case something happened to Willy, I was summoned to provide backup, distraction, diversion, and, if necessary, a spare part. Kidney, perhaps. Blood transfusion. The speck of bone marrow. This was all explicitly clear to me from the start of life’s journey and regularly reinforced thereafter.”
According to the line of succession, Prince William will assume the throne after King Charles, with Kate Middleton becoming queen consort. Following William, the crown will pass to Prince George, and in the event of any unforeseen circumstances, his siblings, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, are next in line.
“They will encourage Louis to explore life outside the royal fold,” said Harry. Spare marks the first time Harry has openly discussed William and Kate’s children. Following his remarks, royal author Ingrid Seward cautioned him against further commentary.
“Harry should refrain from discussing Prince William’s children. He should refrain from commenting on anyone and exercise restraint now,” she told The Sun. “It’s a very dangerous path to go down, discussing other people’s children.”
She added, “And what he says Prince William told him is correct – they are William’s responsibility, not his, so he should refrain. It’s none of Harry’s business. But Harry has become a liability to his family, and to himself because he can interject his opinions whenever he wants.”
While Prince Harry has stirred controversy with his allegations and remarks in his book and previous interviews, royal expert Jennie Bond suggests that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge must be mindful of the challenges that may arise with Prince Louis – and Princess Charlotte – being “spares.”
“They have already demonstrated a different and modern approach to raising royal children, and I’m sure they will ensure that Charlotte and Louis feel just as special, loved, and valued as George,” Bond told the Mirror. “I believe they will encourage Louis to explore life beyond the royal sphere… perhaps the military, or working in the charity sector, or pursuing his interests after completing his education. I’m sure they will encourage him to attend university, which they both enjoyed and where, of course, they found love.”
The royal expert continued, “And from there, they will want him to lead a meaningful life that is meaningful to him as well as appropriate for the son of a future king. They will strive to ensure that he feels he is leading a life of purpose, regardless of his place in the line of succession, and that will likely involve some form of service, as they have emphasized from the beginning that they want their children to understand that having empathy for others is not only a kindness but also fulfilling.”
Following royal tradition, Prince William and Kate Middleton typically release a freshly taken photograph to mark one of their children’s birthdays. This moment is eagerly anticipated by royal enthusiasts, who not only witness the growth of their beloved royals through the lens but also appreciate that the highly skilled photographer behind these images is Kate Middleton herself.
However, there was uncertainty surrounding the release of a photograph for Prince Louis’ birthday. When Kate shared a picture of her and her children for Mother’s Day earlier this year, it marked the first official update on the Princess of Wales since her abdominal surgery in January.
Unfortunately, controversy ensued when it was discovered that the photograph had been poorly edited. The post was flagged as manipulated on Instagram, news agencies removed it from their platforms, and one news editor even likened the royal family’s actions to those of North Korea or Iran. This was an unprecedented situation, as photographs are rarely taken down due to inauthenticity.
It appeared that no photograph of Louis would be released, much to the disappointment of many fans. However, they didn’t have to wait long as a newly captured image by Kate was unveiled, featuring the joyful birthday boy.
The charming photo depicted Louis lying on a blanket in the garden, likely at their residence of Adelaide Cottage on the Windsor grounds. According to royal expert Rebecca English, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge once again demonstrated their relatability, as Louis wore a shirt previously owned by his older brother, Prince George. It’s not one purchased from a luxury store, highlighting the down-to-earth nature of the royal family.
In addition, the royal expert revealed that Prince Louis seems to have taken quite a liking to a specific activity lately.
“While he still possesses the same warm eyes, infectious smile, and general zest for life that has often made him the center of attention at royal events, the youngest child of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge is now big enough to wear Prince George’s hand-me-downs. In this instance, it’s a £39 Pepa & Co checked shirt featured in a delightful new birthday portrait taken by Kate,” English wrote for the Daily Mail.
“And much like A.A. Milne’s famous poem, ‘Now We Are Six’ – ‘I’m as clever as clever/So I think I’ll be six forever and ever’ – he is reported to be excelling at his new school, Lambrook in Berkshire, and proving to be not just academically inclined but also athletic and fun-loving (apparently, cricket is his current passion).”
The recently taken picture of the young prince not only showcased the shirt, but fans were delighted to see Prince Louis smiling on his birthday. However, one eagle-eyed fan noticed a missing detail—his tooth.
“Thank you so much for sharing this delightful photo. I see the tooth fairy has been visiting – goodness, time flies so fast,” one user wrote on X, as per Express.
A second person wrote, “Happy Birthday blessings to this little ray of sunshine, Prince Louis!”
“Happy Birthday to a charming young man who has captured our hearts with his various antics. Thank you to his parents for allowing him to be so ‘natural.’ He is a credit to you,” a third added.
It’s not uncommon for a tooth to appear missing, as children typically start losing them around the age of 6. We may likely witness more of this if Prince Louis, like Prince George just days before him, makes public appearances.
As royal enthusiasts eagerly celebrate the young prince’s milestone, a body language expert has scrutinized the photograph. Expert Judi James has uncovered some ‘secret signals,’ which, according to her, provide insight into Louis.
While it may have had a negative impact, Prince Louis wore the same shirt in the birthday snapshot as in the Mother’s Day image, which sparked fan outrage.
According to Judi James, this indicates that it is his favorite – a positive sign.
“There’s little change in the brand here, and the check shirt seems to be a favorite of Louis, who wore it or one similar for both the Mother’s Day portrait and his baby bank appearance. Again, this suggests some material indulgence from his mum and dad, but the lack of change comes at a very critical time in terms of royal signaling,” body language expert Judi James told The Sun.
Additionally, James addressed the issue of King Charles and Kate Middleton’s cancer diagnosis, which, of course, has been a very difficult time for the royal children as well.
Witnessing their mother ill must be a challenging experience, especially for Prince Louis, who is still very young and may not fully comprehend the extent of his mother’s health scare.
However, according to Judi James, the fact that Louis is wearing the same shirt and striking the pose he is in sends a signal to the public.
“With both Kate and Charles unwell and with royal fans eager for news but also respectful of Kate’s privacy, the familiarity of the outfit and the style of pose here would seem to evoke a sense of reassurance. Fans want to hear that little or nothing has changed for Louis and his family and that they are working towards a full recovery for Kate,” she told The Sun.
The body language expert added, “Louis’s adorable head-tilt gesture here suggests likability. His arms are crossed in a way that indicates he’s quite pleased with his pose and the camera. It’s a calm and warm expression from the often-boisterous prince.”