The 'Prince of Faces' Does It Again: Prince Louis Steals Trooping the Color With One Unscripted Moment

Jun 18, 2026 by apost team

Every year at Trooping the Color, the Wales children deliver at least one moment that stops royal watchers mid-scroll. This year, it was Prince Louis who provided it — and nobody who saw it was surprised.

The British royal family gathered in full force on June 13 for the official celebration of King Charles' birthday, which marks the monarch's public celebration, even though his actual birthday falls in November. The day followed a familiar and beloved rhythm: a parade through London, a military display, and then the moment the crowds — and the children — wait for all year. The flypast.

Louis, now 8, is no stranger to this tradition. He made his Buckingham Palace balcony debut back in 2019 as a baby, held by both his parents, waving with characteristic enthusiasm at the crowds below. In the years since, he has given royal fans some of the most genuinely funny moments in recent memory — dramatically covering his ears during the roar of aircraft at a previous Trooping, pulling out impromptu dance moves on the balcony, and generally reminding the world that no amount of royal protocol can fully contain an eight-year-old with a big personality.

This year, Louis traveled to the event in a horse-drawn carriage alongside his mother, Princess Catherine, and siblings, Prince George, 12, and Princess Charlotte, 11, while their father, Prince William, rode on horseback in the military procession. The family coordinated in soft blue — Louis in a light blue tie, matching his siblings and mother in what has become a Wales family tradition for major occasions.

The interest in aircraft runs deep in the Wales household — and it comes straight from the top. William, 43, served as a search-and-rescue pilot in the Royal Air Force and later as an emergency helicopter pilot for the East Anglian Air Ambulance. It's a passion he has clearly passed down. After a 2021 visit to RAF Brize Norton airbase, Loadmaster Sergeant Mark Curtis told PEOPLE that Catherine had mentioned that "her children are very interested in aircraft." The family has attended air shows together in recent years, and at past Trooping the Color events, George has been spotted pointing out specific planes to his father and talking through what he was seeing.

At this year's event, the family watched the military display from a window above Horse Guards' Parade before making their way back to Buckingham Palace for the flypast finale. Charlotte and George watched with the composed excitement that has become their signature at these events. Louis, however, had other ideas.

As the planes approached overhead, the eight-year-old was photographed leaning far out from the rest of the family — mouth open in pure, unfiltered awe — stepping aside to get the best possible angle on the aircraft. It was spontaneous, completely unselfconscious, and exactly the kind of moment that makes Louis the most watched Wales child at every public outing.

Two major appearances in 2026 — Easter and now Trooping the Color — and Louis has already delivered the standout moment of both. The "Prince of Faces" is growing up. But thankfully, not that much. 

apost.com

Are you a fan of Prince Louis? Do you think he is the most entertaining member of the royal family at public events? Let us know in the comments and pass this on to your family, friends, and other royal family fans out there!