Prince Louis already has all the makings of a star. Whenever he goes out, the youngest son of Prince William and Kate Middleton has all eyes on him. Last month, he cracked up the internet after imitating his brother, Prince George, who seconds earlier was combing back a rebellious lock of his hair. Prince Louis is quite the character, even at the age of 7. So even when he’s not around, his absence is still noticed, and those who love the young prince don’t fail to let his parents know.
Back in July 2019, noted tennis fan Kate Middleton attended the men’s final of the Wimbledon tournament between Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer. In addition to getting to see a well-played match, the Princess of Wales was also treated to a very different surprise: a gift from tennis legend Stan Smith. The gift? A pair of Adidas tennis shoes bearing the tennis player’s name and signature in gold ink. To make no mistake, the shoes were not intended for Princess Kate, but for Prince Louis, hence their small size, though the young royal wasn’t at the tournament. The left shoe was inscribed with “To Louis, from Stan Smith.” Just 1 year old at the time, Prince Louis was already stealing the show.
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In an interview with GQ in 2021, Stan Smith revealed that he had also sent pairs of his signature Adidas shoes to Princess Charlotte and Prince George. The idea for these gifts came after he saw Kate Middleton with the famous Stan Smiths on her feet. However, the Wales family weren’t the only lucky ones. Other members of the royal family, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, have also received gifts from the tennis player. “I also gave the Duchess of Sussex the baby sneakers for her son, Archie, through the Arlington Club,” Smith said. “I received a thank-you letter, which means she received them and, oddly enough, I’ve always heard that the Queen must approve all gifts, which means Her Majesty royally approved them.”
Unlike his siblings, the youngest member of the Wales family has never attended Wimbledon. No official reason has been given, but some speculate that his young age is to blame. According to People, the rules of the tournament are strict, with a code of conduct prohibiting excessive noise during play. Prince William and Kate Middleton are also said to have set an age limit for attending the sporting event: Princess Charlotte and Prince George were both 8 years old when each made their first appearances in the front row of the London Grand Slam. Now aged 7, Prince Louis has just one more year to wait before joining his family in the stands at Centre Court.
Published in VF France.
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