Here’s What Kate Middleton Said When She Corrected Prince Louis on the Buckingham Palace Balcony

The 7-year-old’s behavior was (sadly) much more subdued than at previous Trooping the Colours.

The Gist

• Prince Louis’ antics and hijinks were much more subdued at this year’s Trooping the Colour, which took place on June 14.
• That said, the young prince—who turned 7 in April—was gently corrected by both his brother Prince George and his mother the Princess of Wales while standing on the Buckingham Palace balcony.
• Little Louis got a little too eager waving—which George pointed out to him—and his mother corrected him on being restless during the national anthem, according to a lip reader analyzing the scene.

All told, Prince Louis—who is now 7 years old—was much more subdued at this year’s Trooping the Colour than he has been in years past. (Kind of sad, to be honest—we live for Louis’ antics.) But there were a couple of moments on June 14 that showed that little Louis still has his silly side in him in the form of his older brother, Prince George, and his mother Kate Middleton keeping him in line.

As members of the royal family stood on the Buckingham Palace balcony to take in the flypast, Louis quickly clocked that every time he waved, he'd get a response from the cheering crowd below. Louis jumped the gun a little on the waving front, beginning to do so while his parents, siblings, and other family members still had their hands by their sides, Hello! reported. 

“After noticing, Prince George gave him a quick nudge on the other arm to signal that he should stop waving, keeping his excitable little brother out of trouble,” the outlet wrote, also noting that later—before starting to wave—he looked over to his grandfather King Charles to make sure the King had started to wave, looking to him as a model for how to behave. (After all, Trooping the Colour is the annual birthday parade that celebrates the monarch.) Sweet Louis even got in one final wave as he exited the balcony alongside his family.

The Princess of Wales also had to correct her youngest child at one point, according to a lip reader. The future queen, according to Jeremy Freeman, said, “National anthem, Louis, stand,” according to The Mirror, as Louis “was looking restless as the festivities drew to a close.” Louis immediately straightened his posture and turned his attention to “God Save the King” as it was being played.

The King and Prince William also had an exchange on the balcony that Freeman caught, with William saying to his father, “Oh my word, what a day,” to which Charles responded, “Great theater.”