Prince Louis Once Gave Grandma Carole Middleton the Naughtiest Comeback During a Beach Vacation

Carole Middleton wearing a white coat walking outside at night in front of a metal gate next to a photo of Kate Middleton leaning forward to talk to Prince Louis, who is sticking his tongue out and putting his thumb against his nose — (Image credit: Getty Images)

Prince Louis has won hearts with his funny faces and sugar-fueled behavior at royal events over the years, and as one royal expert pointed out, he's even more spirited behind the scenes.

The 6-year-old son of Prince William and Princess Kate is "a cheeky monkey—a typical third child,” as one friend of the family told People in 2022. And while he's living his best youngest child life during public events, he's apparently even cheekier behind the scenes.

Royal editor Rebecca English told a hilarious story about Prince Louis on the Daily Mail's "Royal Confidential" podcast, sharing that the Princess of Wales's parents, Carole and Michael Middleton are "hands-on grandparents" who take Louis and his sister Charlotte, 9, and brother George, 11, "out for walks, the farm park, the seaside."

During one such beach vacation, English said that a friend of writer Sophia Money-Coutts happened to be in Mustique, where the Middletons often escape to for holidays. While enjoying the beach, the vacationer overheard little Louis giving his grandma quite the snappy comeback.

Prince Louis wearing a blue suit and tie gritting his teeth while standing in front of Prince William, wearing a red military uniform, on the balcony at Buckingham Palace — Prince Louis, seen during Trooping the Colour 2024, is known for his cheeky facial expressions.

Carole Middleton wearing a white floral dress with a white blazer and yellow sunglasses smiling and clapping at Wimbledon — Carole Middleton is seen during a July 2024 Wimbledon match.

In a recent piece for the Daily Mail, Money-Coutts shared, "One friend of mine staying on the same Caribbean island a couple of years ago talked of seeing Carole, in her role as Mary Poppins, trying to cajole a small Prince Louis out of the sea. ‘Go away,’ he cheekily responded, ‘you’re old!’"

After English shared the story on "Royal Confidential," host Jo Elvin and panelist Richard Eden burst out laughing, with English adding, "it's a sweetly Louis thing to say." Elvin then repeated Prince Louis's retort, quipping, "That is a dis that a grandma just has to take on the chin."

Hilariously, Eden pointed out that part of the allure of Mustique "is that it's a private island and people won't report back what you say." In this case, however, what happens in the Caribbean didn't seem to stay there.

Naughty remarks aside, Carole, who celebrated her 70th birthday on Jan. 31, has been praised for not only supporting her daughter, but for providing her grandkids and Prince William a "traditional family" setting outside of palace walls.

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Kristin Contino is Marie Claire's Senior Royal and Celebrity editor. She's been covering royalty since 2018—including major moments such as the Platinum Jubilee, Queen Elizabeth II’s death and King Charles III's coronation—and places a particular focus on the British Royal Family's style and what it means.

Prior to working at Marie Claire, she wrote about celebrity and royal fashion at Page Six Style and covered royalty from around the world as chief reporter at Royal Central. Kristin has provided expert commentary for outlets including the BBC, Sky News, US Weekly, the Today Show and many others.

Kristin is also the published author of two novels, “The Legacy of Us” and “A House Full of Windsor.” She's passionate about travel, history, horses, and learning everything she can about her favorite city in the world, London.