Prince Louis Was “Very Upset” to Miss Wimbledon Today, as the Rest of His Family Attends

His sister, Princess Charlotte, made her tournament debut today alongside her parents and older brother Prince George.

Princess Charlotte at Wimbledon
(Image credit: Getty)

It’s the last day of Wimbledon, and the Princess of Wales—not just an avid tennis fan and skilled tennis player herself, but also patron since 2016 of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club—was on hand to close out the annual event, wearing green, as she has on all three of her appearances at the tournament this year. But she didn’t come alone—today she brought husband Prince William and her two eldest children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, who made her Wimbledon debut. (Kate’s youngest, Prince Louis, hasn’t made his own Wimbledon debut yet, but his mom did wear a subtle tribute to him at yesterday’s appearance.)

While this was Charlotte’s very first time at the tournament, it was George’s second—he attended last year with his parents, as well. For the occasion, Kate wore a dress by Roland Mouret, while George and Charlotte kept to the “Wales blue” color theme (if you haven’t noticed, the Wales family of five wears a lot of blue). William, for his part, was in a light gray linen suit. 

Prince William, Kate Middleton, Prince George, and Princess Charlotte at Wimbledon men's singles final

(Image credit: Getty)

Prince William, Kate Middleton, Prince George, and Princess Charlotte at Wimbledon men's singles final

(Image credit: Getty)

As part of her duties as patron, Kate awarded the iconic gold Wimbledon Trophy to the winner of the men’s singles final (the day before, she presented the Venus Rosewater Dish to Marketa Vondrousova, the winner of the women’s singles final). The men’s singles final all came down to Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic, and as of the writing of this article, the match was still in play.

Per People, “George seemed dazzled by the Wimbledon Trophy—as any kid would be!—when he got to see it up close.” 

Prince George and Princess Charlotte at Wimbledon

(Image credit: Getty)

As the four took their seats at Centre Court’s Royal Box, crowds cheered, reports The Mirror. And, while the Wales four and the crowd seemed happy, there is one five-year-old boy in the U.K. who is not incredibly pleased today. Speaking to Ella Ottaway, who is the Children, Young People, and Families Coordinator at Wimbledon, Kate said “It’s Charlotte’s first time. George came last year. They’ve been eagerly watching. Charlotte, you’ve been getting to grips with the scoring, haven’t you? Louis was very upset he wasn’t coming today.”

Prince Louis at the Royal International Air Tattoo

(Image credit: Getty)

His tender age is likely why Louis wasn’t in attendance today. George was nearly nine years old when he made his Wimbledon debut last year, and Charlotte is eight. But, according to 16-year-old Wimbledon ball boy Joel (per The Daily Express), Kate told him that Louis has been practicing being a ball boy himself: “He [Louis] tries to practice the standing and staying serious like us,” Joel said. (Louis? Serious? What?) “He tries to practice the stands and how we stand at the back of the court and next to the players.” Maybe Louis is practicing at the Wales’ country home, Anmer Hall, where there is a tennis court installed.

Princess Charlotte at Wimbledon

(Image credit: Getty)

Kate Middleton and Princess Charlotte at Wimbledon

(Image credit: Getty)

In addition to the experience of just being there, George and Charlotte were given gifts to remember the day, The Mirror reports, being handed goodie bags after their arrival.

Prince George and Princess Charlotte at Wimbledon

(Image credit: Getty)

For her Wimbledon debut, Charlotte donned the blue and white floral Friki Alitas Dress, priced at $226 and handmade in Spain. Her white ballerina flats—fastened with a buckle and strap across the middle—are the Siena shoes by Papouelli, which retails between $111 and $115. She accessorized with dusty pink sunglasses by Leosun's Flyers, which run about $27.

Princess Charlotte at Wimbledon

(Image credit: Getty)
Rachel Burchfield
Senior Celebrity and Royals Editor

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.