Insider Says Prince Louis Is a “Cheeky Monkey” and a “Typical Third Child”

(Image credit: Getty Images)

published 11 June 2022

We’re still in major cuteness overload from one four-year-old named Prince Louis Arthur Charles of Cambridge, who stole our hearts last weekend at the Platinum Jubilee. Between his appearances in the carriage procession and later on the Buckingham Palace balcony at Trooping the Colour (the facial expressions! The exuberant waving! The sailor suit!) to providing the sideline entertainment at the Platinum Jubilee Pageant before appearing on the balcony a second time alongside his family to close out the Jubilee—it’ll be a while before we stop smiling.

“He’s a cheeky monkey—a typical third child,” someone who knows the royal family told PEOPLE. “It’s nice that the world got to see him enjoying himself.”

Not just the world, but, maybe most importantly to us, the Queen, who seemed amused by her great-grandson’s antics as he stood next to her on Thursday’s balcony appearance (where his facial expressions truly ran the gamut, ranging from sheer delight to total horror). Grandfather Prince Charles shared some special time with Louis on Sunday at the pageant, putting Louis on his lap as, apparently, Louis was riding the wave of a sugar high. Kate Middleton was mom goals all day alongside her younger son (seriously, can she teach patience lessons?), and big sister Princess Charlotte was not having it with her little brother on Thursday…and on Sunday.

And the Cambridges were in on the joke, as they wrote on social media of the Jubilee that “We all had an incredible time, especially Louis…” closing the post with the eyes emoji.

While the Jubilee was a fitting celebration honoring Her Majesty’s historic 70-year reign, putting Louis, his siblings, and other royal kids into the mix also showed that the monarchy will be around long after her reign ends (may it be many, many years from now).

“She is in the saddle, but this gets people accustomed to [Charles’] future role as king,” Sally Bedell Smith, royal expert and author of Elizabeth the Queen: The Life of a Modern Monarch, tells PEOPLE. “There was a feeling of celebrating the past and anticipating the new era.”

May the new era include many moments just like this.

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.