Prince William gave a sweet insight into Prince Louis’s cheeky antics at home today – as his estranged brother Prince Harry visited the late Queen Elizabeth’s grave just seven miles away.
The Prince of Wales, 43, made the lighthearted comments during an engagement to mark the third anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s death, which he attended with his wife Kate, the Princess of Wales, this morning.
Their visit came as William’s brother, Harry, paid a tribute to his late grandmother a mere 16-minute drive away at St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle.
While enjoying coffee and cake at the Sunningdale branch of the Women’s Institute (WI), William was asked if Prince Louis, seven, is ‘a handful’.
Smiling and suppressing his laughter, William replied: ‘To be honest, he’s a character, but he’s a very good boy.’
He added that his youngest son, who is known for his cheeky displays at public events, likes to ‘wind his brother and sister up.’
Perhaps more surprising is what the father-of-three said about his eldest child, Prince George, 12, who is second in line to the throne.
Implying that Prince Louis and 10-year-old Princess Charlotte’s older brother also has a mischievous streak, William said: ‘When George is behind closed doors, it’s a completely different ball game.’
The sole difference between George and Louis, according to their father, is that ‘George just knows how to behave’.
Prince William reflected on his children’s sibling relationship at an event to mark the third anniversary of Queen Elizabeth’s death this morning
Prince Louis (front, centre) is known for his cheeky antics. According to Prince William, Louis likes to wind up his sister, Princess Charlotte (left) and his brother Prince George (right)
Acknowledging that there’s five years between the two boys, William added that ‘Louis hasn’t learnt that yet’.
And, in a comment that parents across the world will be able to relate to, he continued: ‘They’re growing up fast.’
Earlier this year, Louis was hilariously caught rolling his eyes at his older brother George as they joined members of the Royal Family to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day in London.
The expressive royal couldn’t help but tease his older sibling as they sat next to one another to watch the military procession.
Louis – known for his animated antics – appeared to roll his eyes when George looked towards him during the event at Buckingham Palace.
He also mimicked his big brother by brushing his fringe off his face in the same way George had done – but added a little of his trademark cheeky flair to the movement as he swished his hair to the side while pulling an over exaggerated facial expression.
It’s unclear whether the young royal was looking up to his older brother in a bid to be just like him, or just teasing George – but royal fans were left in stitches either way.
And, at June’s Trooping the Colour, an event which is meant to mark the official birthday of the reigning monarch, it was again little Prince Louis who stole the show.
The Duke of Sussex attends the annual WellChild Awards 2025, which celebrates the achievements and resilience of seriously ill youngsters and their families, at the Royal Lancaster Hotel
Prince William was accompanied by Princess Catherine, who was not originally expected to attend
Prince Louis was hilariously caught rolling his eyes at his older brother Prince George yesterday as they joined members of the Royal Family to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day in London
Prince Louis appeared to copy his older brother George at the VE Day celebration at Buckingham Palace as the pair sat next to each other
Taking a moment to himself, Prince George covered his eyes with his hands
The youngster waved enthusiastically to royal fans as he sped down the Mall in an Ascot Landau with his mother Catherine, Princess of Wales, and his siblings George and Princess Charlotte, 10.
Meanwhile, their father Prince William took part in the parade on horseback alongside the Duke of Edinburgh and the Princess Royal.
Taking a moment to himself while driving by a sea of Union Jacks, Prince George, who is second in line to the throne, placed his hands over his eyes.
A toothy Prince Louis reacted by mimicking his older brother’s gesture.
Cameras captured the sweet moment Prince George responded to his brother’s antics with a beaming smile as the younger, more cheeky royal threw his head back with laughter.
Before they could get up to more mischief, Catherine led the children inside to prepare for the famed flypast.
Catherine, also 43, unexpectedly joined William this morning at Sunningdale, Berkshire – just a 16-minute drive away from Windsor Castle, where the Duke of Sussex was understood to have visited his grandmother’s grave today.
Originally only William had planned to attend the event to mark his ‘Granny’s’ passing, but sources said Catherine was keen to join her husband to commemorate and celebrate the beloved monarch.
Originally only William had planned to attend the event to mark his grandmother’s passing, but sources said Catherine was keen to join her husband to commemorate and celebrate the life of the late Queen
William and Kate smiled as they both made an appearance at the engagement in honour of Elizabeth
The Princess of Wales has unexpectedly joined Prince William on an engagement to mark the third anniversary of Queen Elizabeth’s death
The couple visited the local Women’s Institute (WI) branch, to which King Charles’s mother had a close connection, having been a member for 80 years and serving as president to the Sandringham branch.
The organisation’s aim is to create a safe space for women to build connections, learn new skills and make a positive impact on their local community.
Catherine wore a black, grey and white tartan dress from Alessandra Rich – teamed with tonal heels – and warmly greeted members as her husband, dressed in a smart suit and tie, joked with the ladies about the amount of cake waiting for them.
The couple also chatted with support staff and trustees from across the Berkshire Federation of Women’s Institutes (BFWI) to hear about their work and the different opportunities it gives women.
Some of the women they were introduced to had met or interacted with the late Queen herself. William was, it is understood, particularly keen to hear their stories and the impact she had on the WI.
Queen Elizabeth, who died at Balmoral Castle on September 8 2022, was a member of the WI for 80 years, joining in 1943 and serving as President of the Sandringham branch from 2003 until her death. She often attended a meeting in early January while staying in Norfolk for Christmas.
The sweet tribute comes as the Duke of Sussex returned to Britain for the first time in five months amid speculation over whether he will stage a reunion with King Charles.
William’s brother touched down at Heathrow Airport this morning, but has made the transatlantic trip on his own while Meghan stays in California with their children, Archie and Lilibet.
William and Kate, pictured, were both friendly as ever as they chatted with staff during the visit today
Harry’s trip to the UK, which includes four days of official engagements, will be his longest since he and Meghan visited in 2022 when Queen Elizabeth II died.
It is understood he visited his late grandmother’s grave at St George’s Chapel, at Windsor Castle, moments after touching down as he marks the third anniversary of her death.
The duke was last in the UK in April when he lost his legal challenge over the level of security protection he receives from the Government while he is in Britain – after he and Meghan stepped down as working royals and moved to California in 2020.
Harry was appealing a ruling dismissing his challenge to the level of police protection he receives in the UK – but Judge Sir Geoffrey Vos ruled the duke’s ‘sense of grievance’ did not ‘translate into a legal argument’.
Significantly, however, Harry was spotted being picked up at Heathrow by a serving Metropolitan Police officer from the Royalty and Specialist Protection Squad, suggesting he is receiving bespoke police protection in the UK.
Buckingham Palace is remaining tight-lipped on whether the King, who is currently at his Scottish residence in Birkhall, will meet his estranged son for the first time in 19 months.
The Prince and Princess of Wales (back right) pictured during their visit to the National Federation of Women’s Institute
Kate, who sported a frock from Alessandra Rich, donned tartan print to the event this morning, as she joined her husband
Kate appeared to be in good spirits as she and her husband chatted with the members of the WI today
The couple were all smiles as they enjoyed hearing from members at the WI – an organisation close to Elizabeth’s heart
The pair were very animated as they chatted with others over tea and cake – in a visit commemorating the late Queen
The couple were paying tribute to the three-year anniversary of Queen Elizabeth’s death this morning
Kate looked to be in high spirits as she joined her husband for the visit to pay homage to Queen Elizabeth
Catherine, 43, accompanied her husband on a sweet and moving visit in Sunningdale, Berkshire
The couple visited the Women’s Institute (WI) branch close to Windsor Castle , to which the Late Queen had a close connection, having been a member for 80 years and serving as president to the Sandringham branch
Catherine wore a black, grey and white tartan dress with tonal heels and warmly greeted members as her husband, dressed in a smart suit and tie, joked with the ladies about the amount of cake waiting for them.
But recently there has been signs that the fractured relationship is easing and that a reconciliation could be within reach.
The father and son last met in February 2024, when Harry flew to the UK after it was announced that Charles had been diagnosed with cancer.
Prince William, who has taken a much firmer line on rekindling of relations with his brother, has official engagements elsewhere on every day of Harry’s visit.
Harry was earlier pictured arriving at LAX airport, while a Range Rover driven by a serving Met officer appeared to be escorting him out of Heathrow Airport this morning.
The duke was whisked away to Windsor Castle, where The Sun reports he paid his private respects to Queen Elizabeth II by visiting her final resting place at St George’s Chapel.
Harry will later attend the WellChild Awards in London, a charity which supports youngsters affected by terminal and serious illness and their families.
He has been its patron for 17 years – even after stepping down as a working royal – and will present an award.
On Tuesday he will visit the Community Recording Studio in Nottingham. His team says he will use the visit to announce a ‘substantial donation’ to charity Children in Need to support its work tackling violence impacting young people.
Pictured: The Princess of Wales speaking to members during a visit to the National Federation of Women’s Institute (WI) in Sunningdale
Kate looked to be in high spirits as she joined her husband, William, for the engagement this morning
Both William and Kate looked to be enjoying the spread of cakes available at the engagement today
Harry has engagements on Wednesday and Thursday with other charities he is involved in, including the Invictus Games and the Diana Award.
The King has spent most of the summer at his Balmoral estate in Scotland, but is set to be in the capital mid-week for his cancer treatment.
Currently, there is no specified window for a meeting with Charles. However, The Mail on Sunday reported that should an invitation to meet be extended, Harry would drop everything to attend.
A source said: ‘A meeting with Charles is not off the table but the only people who would know about it are Clive Alderton [the King’s private secretary] and Charles and Harry.
‘If anything is planned, then he is keeping this extremely close to his chest. It certainly is part of his intention to see his father.
‘If it’s on Wednesday, then he would make it work.’
Meanwhile, it’s been a busy week for William and Kate, with the Princess this weekend watching England’s Red Roses take on Australia in the Rugby World Cup.
The royal, who is Patron of the Rugby Football Union, had joined crowds at the Brighton & Hove Albion Stadium on Saturday for the group stage match – and was seen fully embracing the crowd’s enthusiasm.
The Duke of Sussex (seen at High Court in London in April) touched down at Heathrow Airport this morning, but Meghan has stayed in California with their children, Archie and Lilibet
Buckingham Palace is remaining tight-lipped on whether the King, who is currently at his Scottish residence in Birkhall, will meet his estranged son for the first time in 19 months
At one point, the Princess even took part in a Mexican wave, as she expertly put her hands in the air and raised out of her seat, perfectly fitting in with the movement of the rest of the crowd.
Throughout the match, she was seen beaming and looking delighted as she cheered the England team to their 47-7 victory.
It seemed Kate couldn’t hold back her laughter as she chatted with those around her, apparently enjoying her return to work and official engagements after the summer break.
It’s perhaps not surprising that the royal mother-of-three was clearly so invested in the game, as she’s known to be a huge fan of women’s rugby, and women’s sport in general.
In footage shared on the Wallaroos Rugby Instagram page, the future Queen was seen making a surprise visit to the Australian locker room, shaking hands and offering encouraging words.
Afterwards, the team looked as though they could not believe their luck after getting the opportunity to speak to the princess face-to-face.
In the clip, the mother-of-three could be heard speaking to one of the players, telling the team she is a ‘massive supporter’ of women’s sport.
‘How has it been playing away from home? Is it ok?’ she asked kindly, before adding: ‘You played really well, you gave us a run for our money at the beginning, it was nerve-racking!’
It seemed Kate couldn’t hold back her laughter as she chatted with those around her, apparently enjoying her return to work and official engagements after the summer break
She added: ‘For women’s sport across the world, it’s so fantastic to see crowds like this and stadiums like this.
‘I am a massive supporter of women’s sport, so well done – and good luck for the rest of the tournament.’
Both Kate and William have shared personal messages to their respective Women’s Rugby teams on social media in recent weeks.
Posting in Welsh, then in English, William wrote: ‘Good luck to Wales Women as they kick off their Rugby World Cup campaign against Scotland today! Pob lwc, Cymru – ewch amdani! W.’
While Kate’s message read: ‘Wishing the Red Roses the very best as they kick off their Women’s Rugby World Cup campaign tonight.
‘I look forward to cheering you on and seeing the team rise to the challenge on home soil! C.’
Kate took over the role with the RFU from her brother-in-law Prince Harry in 2022, who was forced to give up the patronage as part of the Megxit agreement.
The Princess of Wales, who grew up watching rugby with her family, is known as one of the sportiest members of the Royal Family, and has gamely taken on her husband in everything from dragon boating to wind buggy racing at royal engagements.
Kate was all smiles at the kick-off, with England currently sitting at the top of the leaderboard, and Australia in second place
She has played tennis and hockey from a young age and is already royal patron of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club and is a frequent visitor to the Wimbledon Championships.
While her love and passion for hockey has been well publicised, less well known is her family’s love of rugby.
Her sister, Pippa, wrote in Vanity Fair magazine in 2014: ‘Rugby was a big thing for our family, we’d plan our weekends around the big matches.’
In the Daily Mail’s Palace Confidential podcast, Jo Elvin joked that the Wales family ‘may need a referee in house’ for the game – which forms part of the Six Nations Championship.
It’s unclear whether the royal children – Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, nine, and Prince Louis, six – are also split on which team they support: Wales for William, or England for Kate.
In fact, on Mike Tindall‘s podcast The Good, The Bad and The Rugby, Prince William did joke that the question of which team the children support has become ‘quite the thing’ at home.
He said: ‘It’s become quite the thing in the house. [Catherine] is quite into it. I’m trying to stay out of it.’
Prince William meanwhile, attended the Wales against Fiji game in Exeter, seeing his team narrowly miss out on victory.
Smiling from the stands and clapping, the Princess appeared to be enjoying the gripping match
The royal mother-of-three looked effortlessly stunning in a dark casual ensemble for the event
Kate appeared in a black outfit, coupled with a white blouse, in line with a period of royal mourning following the death of the Duchess of Kent
The royal smiled and applauded as the epic rugby match got underway at the American Express Stadium in Brighton on Saturday
All eyes were on the Princess, who appeared glowing and in high spirits at the much-anticipated rugby match
The couple’s decision to attend their respective games comes amid a tricky time for the royal family after the sad announcement that the Duchess of Kent died this week at the age of 92.
The Prince and Princess of Wales shared a loving tribute to the Duchess of Kent, after the news was announced around Friday lunchtime.
William and Kate said the Duchess – who became the oldest living member of the Royal Family when Queen Elizabeth II died in 2022 – would be ‘much missed’.
The future king and queen described how she had ‘worked tirelessly’ in her life to help others.
The Duchess died at Kensington Palace on Thursday night, surrounded by members of her family. She is survived by Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, and their three children.
In a statement signed ‘W & C’, the Prince and Princess of Wales said: ‘Our thoughts today are with The Duke of Kent and his family, particularly George, Helen and Nicholas.
‘The Duchess worked tirelessly to help others and supported many causes, including through her love of music. She will be a much missed member of the family’.
A spokesman for Prince Harry said he had sent his condolences privately to the Kent family.
The Prince and Princess of Wales have divided loyalties this weekend, with William set to support Wales and Kate England (pictured at the Natural History Museum earlier this week)
Earlier this week, the Prince and Princess of Wales visited the Natural History Museum in London as they returned to duties after their summer break.
Kate, who studied art history at university and has been patron of the attraction since 2013, was seen with her newly blonde locks on display after spending a summer in the sun.
The Prince of Wales also showed a hint of tan during their day out in the capital following their traditional break, which was this year said to include a trip on their superyacht to Kefalonia, sailing around the Greek islands.
Kate, who has apparently dyed her brunette locks a few shades lighter, looked stylish in a fitted tweed ‘Hacket’ blazer from Ralph Lauren, paired with a white Boyfriend Shirt from sustainable British brand With Nothing Underneath, smart dark green tailored trousers and £199 tassel loafers from Pretty Ballerinas.
Alongside gentle waves in her hair, the princess opted for a natural sweep of make-up and added her £495 alphabet necklace from Daniella Draper – which features the initials of her three children, George, Charlotte and Louis – as well as Princess Diana‘s sapphire engagement ring and £850 Kiki McDonough pear drop earrings.
They dodged downpours as they kicked off their own ‘autumn term’ and visited the site’s newly transformed gardens, meeting children and young people taking part in learning programmes.
As they arrived at the venue, the supportive Prince was seen placing a hand on his wife’s back, making for a sweet display of affection.
The princess appeared firmly in her element as she laughed with school pupils as it began to pour with rain during their time in the gardens – even sweetly helping one child to shelter under her umbrella.
