Prince Louis of Cambridge, the fifth in line to the British throne, is a young member of the British royal family. Born to Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, he is the third and youngest child. Prince Louis was born on April 24, 2018, and his birth was celebrated with great pomp and ceremony. Named after his great-great-great-uncle, Lord Louis Mountbatten, he was baptized on July 9. As a prince of the United Kingdom, he is officially addressed as His Royal Highness Prince Louis of Cambridge. Notably, he is the first British prince with an elder sister in the line of succession before him. Prince Louis is the seventh royal figure with the name “Louis,” and he holds the potential to become the future king of England.
Quick Facts
- British Celebrities Born In April
- Also Known As: Louis Arthur Charles
- Age: 5 Years
- Family:
- Father: Prince William, Duke of Cambridge
- Mother: Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge
- Siblings: Prince George of Cambridge, Princess Charlotte of Cambridge
- Born Country: England
- City: London, England
The Royal Birth
Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, and his wife, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, were expecting a child since mid-2017. At 11:01 B.S.T. on April 23, 2018, a son was born to them. Both the national and the international media were following the story ever since Princess Catherine had been hospitalized.
He was the third child born to Prince William and Catherine, after Prince George and Princess Charlotte. Both George and Charlotte visited their little brother at the “Lindo Wing” of the ‘St. Mary’s Hospital.’
Prince William and Princess Catherine left the hospital the same day, to greet the crowd gathered for a glance of the newborn. Prince William stated that the couple was extremely happy. He also joked that he now had three children to worry about. Following this “meet and greet,” the couple entered their car and drove away toward their residence, ‘Kensington Palace,’ with their baby.
Officials from ‘Kensington Palace’ stated that the newborn would be named within a few days. Bookies speculated that he would be named “Arthur,” “Albert,” “Frederick,” or “Philip.” Several leading British politicians and celebrities also congratulated the royal couple.
A day later, on April 24, 2018, the announcement of his birth was made official in a traditional way, with gun salutes at the ‘Tower of London’ and ‘Hyde Park.’ ‘Westminster Abbey’ also joined in, and its bells were rung to mark the auspicious occasion.
The baby’s name was announced on April 27. He was named “Louis Arthur Charles.” Most bookies across the United Kingdom had predicted the baby would be named “Arthur,” but it was chosen as the baby’s middle name. His first name was in honor of his great-great-great-uncle, Lord Louis Mountbatten, while the baby’s last name honored his paternal grandfather, Charles, Prince of Wales.
The Royal Lineage
The baptism ceremony of the prince took place at the ‘Chapel Royal’ of ‘St. James’ Palace,’ on July 9, 2018. The ceremony was conducted by Justin Portal Welby, the archbishop of Canterbury. The event was highly covered by the media. The water used in the ceremony was taken from River Jordan, according to the age-old tradition.
Among the people who became godparents of the young prince were Guy Pelly, Lady Laura Meade, Lucy Middleton, Hannah Gillingham Carter, and Nicholas van Custem. During the ceremony, Louis was made to wear a replica of the royal christening gown. The gown had been created in 2008, as a replica of the gown made for Princess Victoria in 1841. Before 2004, the original gown was used for every royal christening, but it was then preserved, while its exact copy was made for the successive ceremonies.
Titles and Succession
Prince Louis of Cambridge is a prince of the United Kingdom. He is entitled to the Royal Highness style, according to the alteration made to the letters patent, by Queen Elizabeth II, the great-grandmother of Prince Louis, in 2012. Following the changes made by Queen Elizabeth II, all children of the eldest living son of the Prince of Wales were to be addressed by the style (as opposed to the original letters, which stated that only the eldest son of the eldest living son of the Prince of Wales was eligible for the honor). Prince Louis is thus addressed as His Royal Highness Prince Louis of Cambridge.
After his grandfather, father, and two older siblings, Prince Louis is the fifth in the line to the British royal throne. He could have been the fourth, had the ‘Perth Agreement’ not given his elder sister, Charlotte, the right to the royal throne. Hence, Prince Louis is the first British prince to be behind his sister in the line of succession to the throne.