Prince Louis Reportedly Soothed a Stressed Out King Charles in the Leadup to the Coronation

(Image credit: Getty)

published 14 May 2023

Leave it to Prince Louis to make it all better: The Mirror reports that, during grueling Coronation rehearsals, the five-year-old son of the Prince and Princess of Wales cheered up his stressed grandfather, King Charles. As the rehearsals appeared to be taking its toll—not just on the King, but on everyone involved—Louis provided much-needed relief (wonder if that was a practice run to his joyfulness the day of?).

A source said that, after hours of sitting through the different parts of the rehearsals, bishops started messing up their lines, and text from Queen Elizabeth’s 1953 Coronation was used instead of the correct updated version. “The King was seen to be looking worn down and glum on his throne in Westminster Abbey during the rehearsal for the long-running, formal ceremony,” The Mirror writes. “However, he appeared to look brighter and perkier upon spotting his grandson Prince Louis, who was standing near him.” Who wouldn’t?

According to a source, after two full rehearsals on the same day, it was only when the King saw Louis that some levity arrived at the intense practice session. “It was a long day, and everyone was getting a little tired and stressed,” the insider said. “Even the King began to look a little worn down. He was sitting on the throne looking glum.”

This writer is inserting a quick pause for dramatic effect and to appreciate the semi-absurdity of the last sentence—and back to it…

“Then suddenly he looked to the side and saw Prince Louis standing beside him,” the source said. “His eyes lit up and he said, ‘Hello, Louis. I didn’t see you there.’ You could see how much he adored the little boy. He put an arm around him and began showing him all the regalia. He explained everything to him and pointed out the different gems. In that snapshot, the two of them seemed completely entranced. It was lovely to watch.”

Louis had a big day on May 6—after yawning a couple of times during the ceremony, he was whisked away (probably by a nanny), but returned to sing “God Save the King” at the end of the event. He then traveled from the Abbey to Buckingham Palace by coach, where he seemed entranced by the crowds along the Mall; then, on the Palace balcony, he enjoyed a Red Arrows flypast (and was the animated character we have come to love).

We are thankful we don’t have to know a royal family without this little guy.

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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.