Here’s What was Reportedly Said on the Buckingham Palace Balcony Yesterday

Queen Elizabeth Prince Louis — (Image credit: Chris Jackson / Getty Images)

Nobody could take the spotlight away from the Queen on her special day yesterday, but Prince Louis certainly provided ample entertainment as he stood next to his great-grandmother “Gan-Gan” on the Buckingham Palace balcony, taking in the 70-aircraft flypast above. His meme-worthy expressions ranged from utter delight to sheer horror as the planes flew overhead.

At certain points, Her Majesty and Louis spoke to one another, and a lip reader has revealed what the two said to each other as they interacted yesterday. Lipreader Kate Evans, according to The Mirror, said the young prince “appeared to ask his great-grandmother if there was more to come—as he raved on about helicopters and planes.” The outlet writes “it seems Louis didn’t stop peppering his great-grandmother with questions yesterday as they stood together on the balcony.”

For her part, the Queen seemed impressed with the presentation, and “during the incredible display by the Red Arrows, he [Louis] could be seen chatting intently with his patient great-grandmother about the aircraft.” The Queen “appeared charmed by the Cambridge children’s excitement, as she pointed out planes and helicopters that she thought they might be especially delighted by” and “was full of praise for his enthusiasm.” As a fleet of helicopters flew low over Buckingham Palace, she said “That’s our Air Force. The Apaches.”

Just a few steps away, Prince George told father Prince William “Dad, look at those planes. They are so big.” Charlotte’s reaction? “Amazing,” she said. And, as Kate Middleton told Louis how the planes formed a “70” in the sky—to honor the Queen’s 70-year reign—“the prince began to intently count on his fingers,” The Mirror reports. A proud Queen said of the formation, “That’s very clever. That must have taken a lot of practice.”

Going back to watch the flypast again now with this new knowledge!

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Rachel Burchfield is a writer, editor, and podcaster whose primary interests are fashion and beauty, society and culture, and, most especially, the British Royal Family and other royal families around the world. She serves as Marie Claire’s Senior Celebrity and Royals Editor and has also contributed to publications like Allure, Cosmopolitan, Elle, Glamour, Harper’s Bazaar, InStyle, People, Vanity Fair, Vogue, and W, among others. Before taking on her current role with Marie Claire, Rachel served as its Weekend Editor and later Royals Editor. She is the cohost of Podcast Royal, a show that was named a top five royal podcast by The New York Times. A voracious reader and lover of books, Rachel also hosts I’d Rather Be Reading, which spotlights the best current nonfiction books hitting the market and interviews the authors of them. Rachel frequently appears as a media commentator, and she or her work has appeared on outlets like NBC’s Today Show, ABC’s Good Morning America, CNN, and more.