Cheeky Prince Louis gets up to mischief and steals the show at Trooping the Colour parade

The charming Prince Louis was seen taking a little stumble while waiting on the steps outside Buckingham Palace for Trooping the Colour to commence, adding to his day's playful antics.

The youngest offspring of Prince William and Princess Kate was caught on camera having a slight mishap as he stood with his mother and siblings, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, before the start of the military parade. A video clip showed him accidentally tripping on a step in the wet weather, his reflection visible in the palace windows.

At six years old, Louis was standing next to his sister Charlotte, aged nine, when the mishap occurred as they awaited the arrival of the horse-drawn carriage. It comes amid Kate Middleton's first public appearance since her cancer diagnosis.

An eagle-eyed Royal enthusiast noticed the young prince's slip and posted about it on Twitter, writing: "Notice how little Louis slipped for a second". Another admirer praised the scene, saying: "Wonderful to see our beautiful future queen and her family."

However, Prince Louis didn't stop there, he also managed to draw attention during the balcony ceremony. He was spotted mischievously playing with the blind cords while his mother, Kate, kept a watchful eye on him, reports the Mirror.

Rather than gazing out at the assembled public, he amusingly fiddled with the white cord that draws the blinds.

Continuing his playful behaviour, Louis attempted to open the large white window of the office while the Duchess of Edinburgh observed. With determination, he bit down and used both hands in an effort to push up the window, keen to have a better view from the balcony.

Shortly after, young Prince Louis was caught on camera yawning expansively while observing the parade from a window in the Duke of Wellington's former office. The little prince arched his head back and stood with his hands behind him as he yawned widely, while Princess Charlotte watched the proceedings with decorum.

However, fighting off sleepiness, Louis then began to dance, swaying his hips and beaming, much to the amusement of his mother, Kate, and seemingly to the slight annoyance of Charlotte, who appeared to mutter something to her brother. The BBC commentator couldn't help but laugh during the live broadcast, remarking: "He's enjoying boogieing along to that."

Prince Louis has been capturing hearts at Trooping the Colour since 2022, when he memorably spoke with the late Queen and covered his ears against the noise of the planes, creating some endearing images. He also became the centre of attention at last year's Coronation and Trooping the Colour, where he showed great enthusiasm for the crowds and aircraft.

Today marks the first significant Royal engagement of the year for the trio, as they celebrate their grandfather King Charles' official birthday parade. Princess Charlotte looked radiant in a navy dress adorned with a white bow, her hair neatly pulled back from her face.

Little Louis was smartly attired in a navy blazer, crisp white shirt, and blue tie, taking in the grand spectacle and sitting close to his mother.

Their appearance represents a heartening moment in the Royal limelight, as the siblings were last spotted together publicly at the Christmas Day gathering alongside the Royal Family in Sandringham, prior to Kate being hospitalised for abdominal surgery. The news that Kate would join in on the King's official birthday celebrations with her family was announced only yesterday.

In a statement dispatched from the Palace, Kate revealed she experiences both "good days and bad days" whilst undergoing preventative chemotherapy treatment. The Princess also stated her aspiration to attend "hopes to join a few public engagements over the summer", as she continues her cancer treatment "for a few months".

Following the disclosure of Kate's cancer diagnosis back in March, the Waleses have fervently persisted in maintaining their usual activities. George, their eldest child, aged ten, has been sighted on multiple occasions with William, most recognizably at last month's FA Cup final.

During a visit to Gareth Southgate's squad before they parted for Germany, William seized the chance to impart his encouraging advice to the team, revealing his son Louis' nuggets of wisdom in the process.

He said: "Guys, while I was on the way here, I was thinking what shall I say. And I thought what can I offer as you are all an experienced team here with Gareth and I was thinking what could I say to help before you went away? ".

"And I was on the school run this morning with the children and I said 'what shall I say to the England team today'. The best bit of advice I got was to eat twice the amount you would normally eat. And I now have visions of all of you running around with massive tummies and getting stitches on the pitch. So I think take my youngest's advice with a pinch of salt! ".

The Duchess of Cambridge was notably absent from the Colonel's Review on June 8 - the traditional rehearsal for the birthday parade. Kate, who holds the honorary title of Colonel of the Irish Guards, penned an apology letter for her absence and extended her well wishes.

The letter, written on Kensington Palace stationery and shared via the Irish Guards' account, read: "I wanted to write to let you know how proud I am of the entire regiment ahead of the Colonel's Review and Trooping the Colour. I appreciate everyone Trooping this year has been practising for months, and dedicating many hours to ensure their uniforms and drill are immaculate."

"Being your Colonel remains a great honour, and I am very sorry that I am unable to take the salute at this year's Colonel Review. Please pass my apologies to the whole Regiment, however, I do hope I can represent you all again soon. Please send my very best wishes and good luck to all involved."

Kate concluded the letter by handwriting the Irish Guards' motto Quis Separabit, which translates to 'Who shall separate us?' and signed it 'Colonel Catherine'.

Trooping the Colour, the annual event marking the monarch's official birthday, is held every year despite Prince Charles' actual birthday being on November 14. Royal insiders have indicated that other members of the Royal Family are expected to attend, similar to last year when only working family members were present.

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