Last Saturday, London hosted the annual Trooping the Colour parade, and once again, the spotlight was not on the reigning monarch, King Charles III, but on his grandchildren—Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis. The three children of Prince William and Kate Middleton arrived at Buckingham Palace with their parents to take their traditional place on the royal balcony, a spot once reserved for all members of the royal family. However, after the death of Queen Elizabeth II, her son and successor, Charles—now King Charles III—decided that only working members of the family should have the privilege of greeting the public from the palace balcony.
While the young royals are still too little to take on serious duties, there’s no doubt that they make the event memorable each year. This time, Princess Charlotte stood out as the most composed. Dressed in a sky-blue dress that matched her mother’s coat and hat, she carried herself with the poise befitting a royal granddaughter. Her brothers, however—future king Prince George and Prince Louis—were in high spirits even before arriving at the palace. Dressed in dark blue suits with red ties, they chatted and giggled throughout the event. While standing on the balcony, George even tried to teach his younger brother the proper way to wave during the parade—something he has never been seen doing with his sister.
Louis quickly got into the swing of things, enthusiastically waving at the Royal Air Force planes flying overhead, his grandfather, and the crowds gathered below. As the ceremony ended and the royal family began to leave the balcony, Louis turned around for one last wave—this time from behind his mother—once again charming everyone with his playful energy.
Prince William, 42, and Princess Kate, 43, have often spoken about their efforts to balance royal duties with raising their children, prioritizing their family life above all. George, Charlotte, and Louis attend only a few public events each year, and William and Kate typically reduce their workload when the children are out of school to spend more time together as a family.
