Prince Louis Steals the Show During Christmas Service: 'Adorable'

Prince Louis has once again managed to steal the show at a public event, this time during a Christmas service hosted by his famous mom, the Princess of Wales.

Louis, who celebrated his fifth birthday in April, appeared with his family, parents Prince William and Kate Middleton, and siblings Prince George, 10, and Princess Charlotte, eight, at the Royal Carols: Together at Christmas event.

The family sat in the front row at Westminster Abbey in London for the service, which was held on December 8, but aired on Christmas Eve on the U.K.'s ITV network.

prince charlotte, prince louis, kate middleton
(Left to right) Princess Charlotte, Prince Louis blowing out his candle and Kate Middleton, Princess of Wales, at Westminster Abbey on December 8, 2023, in London. Louis stole the show for his adorable behavior at... Aaron Chown/Getty Images

People watching at home delighted in Louis' well-mannered behavior during the service, including him singing along to various hymns and carols.

"Prince Louis singing along is just super adorable," wrote one person on X, formerly Twitter.

But it was one standout moment that captured people's attention, when Harry Potter actor Jim Broadbent appeared onstage to read an extract from Letters from Father Christmas by Lord of the Rings author J.R..R Tolkien.

Louis gasped in excitement at spotting the famous actor, with many taking to X to heap praise on the youngster.

"Look how excited Prince Louis was to see Jim Broadbent it was lovely #TogetheratChristmas," wrote one person.

Another added: "The sweetest moment from the Together at Christmas service when Prince Louis spots Jim Broadbent!"

And a third wrote: "Ahh, the way #PrinceLouis face lit up, that was so magical!!"

Kate started the Together at Christmas service in 2021 to celebrate people from around Britain who had served their communities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

It was the first year Louis had attended the service with his family as his presence at public events has increased over the past year, due to getting older, but also because his position in the Royal Family has moved up in seniority since his great-grandmother Queen Elizabeth II's death.

After the queen died in September 2022, Louis moved up to fourth in line to the British throne, behind his father and two older siblings.

Earlier this month, some footage of Louis at the event was shared on social media where he was praised for his "respectful gesture."

In the clip shared to TikTok, Louis confidently offers his hand for a member of the abbey clergy to shake as the footage cuts to William and Kate's reactions.

"He is learning. What a funny little person he is. He [reminds] me a bit of [Prince] Harry when he was small," posted one person in the comments, with another writtng: "What an adorable sweet respectful gesture Prince Louis."

Uncommon Knowledge

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

About the writer


Shannon Power is a Greek-Australian reporter, but now calls London home. They have worked as across three continents in print, ... Read more

To read how Newsweek uses AI as a newsroom tool, Click here.

Newsweek cover
  • Newsweek magazine delivered to your door
  • Newsweek Voices: Diverse audio opinions
  • Enjoy ad-free browsing on Newsweek.com
  • Comment on articles
  • Newsweek app updates on-the-go
Newsweek cover
  • Newsweek Voices: Diverse audio opinions
  • Enjoy ad-free browsing on Newsweek.com
  • Comment on articles
  • Newsweek app updates on-the-go