There was only one thing missing for royal fans from the Prince and Princess of Wales’s appearance at the Wimbledon Men’s Singles Final - and that was Prince Louis. The seven-year-old’s cheeky antics are always a highlight of occasions like Trooping the Colour, but he’s still very young and he didn’t join his brother and sister at the tennis.
However, Prince William and Kate weren’t about to let their youngest child miss out on at least part of the Wimbledon experience. According to People, the couple ensured he got the same memento of the day as Prince George and Charlotte.
As anyone who watched the aftermath of Jannik Sinner’s victory will have seen, the Wales kids brought tennis balls when they got to meet him. They made sure that they brought one for Prince Louis too and the champion graciously signed all three.
"Thank you so much, that’s really kind," Kate told Jannik, before apparently adding, "We brought one for their brother as well."
He might not have been with them at the match, but Prince William revealed that Prince Louis "would be very upset" if they hadn't had a tennis ball signed for him too. The future King and Queen didn’t confirm why Louis didn’t attend, though I suspect it was due to his age.
Prince George first went to Wimbledon in 2022, a week before his 10th birthday, and Princess Charlotte was 8 when she made her debut in 2023. Those two are also known for having a particular love of tennis. So it might be another year at least until Prince Louis gets to go.
In the meantime, he will at least have his signed tennis ball to remember the 2025 tournament. Prince William and Kate’s choice to bring one for him shows how determined they are to treat their children equally and whilst this is very relatable for parents generally, given Prince George’s destiny as future King, this is especially notable.
Speaking previously to OK! former BBC Royal Correspondent Jennie Bond suggested that the couple are focused on making their younger children feel just as "valued" as George does.
"William and Kate must be acutely aware of the problems for a royal spare. They have already shown that they have a different and modern attitude to bringing up royal children and I’m sure they will do everything to make Charlotte and Louis feel every bit as special, loved and valued as George," she said.
Whilst age likely continues to be a factor in when and where Prince Louis makes appearances with his parents, we can already see their fair approach in Prince George and Charlotte’s public outings. When George attended Wimbledon in 2022 the family were reportedly asked why his sister wasn’t there to which Kate replied, "It’s George’s treat today".
This seems to suggest that they put thought into who gets what "treat" and when, and Charlotte later went on to attend the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham with her parents in 2023. She also went to Wimbledon with Kate and Pippa Middleton last year, without her big brother.
When he is older, who knows what special outings Prince Louis could enjoy that align with his hobbies and interests.
