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- Prince Louis, seven, appeared to excitedly mimic the planes going overhead as he joined his siblings, Prince George, 11, and Princess Charlotte, 10, and the Prince and Princess of Wales on the balcony of Buckingham Palace to watch the Red Arrows’ iconic flypast this afternoon.
- Looking up at the sky, the youngest of William and Kate’s children – who was at his animated best today – was awestruck as he watched the display.
- And according to lip-reader Nicola Hickling, in the excitement of the day, he recreated the ‘chatter chatter chatter’ sound made by the planes as he took in the VE Day festivities this afternoon.
- The expert also said that Louis made his verdict on the celebrations clear when chatting with his family – and revealed his ‘favourite’ plane.
- She claimed that at one point, the Prince of Wales asked: ‘Do you know what it is’ while looking up at the sky.
- His eldest son, George, is thought to have replied: ‘No but I do know it’s got two way four engines.’
- To this, William reportedly said ‘exactly’, and later, seemingly pointing out another plane, added: ‘That must be Britannia.’ At this point young Louis chimed in to say: ‘That’s my favourite.’ And when the stunning fly-past was over, leaving red, white and blue smoke in it’s wake Louis is thought to have remarked: ‘Look at all of the colours!’
- The young prince continued to delight fans with his animated presence. At one point, his mother, the Princess of Wales, looked over him affectionately, while Prince George appeared to confer with his father, Prince William.
- Prince Louis, seven, looked to be in high spirits as he joined his parents on the balcony this afternoon
- The family looked to be animated and impressed as they took in the fly-past from the balcony today
- Animated Louis has continued to delight royal well-wishers with his antics as he enjoyed looking at the fly-past
- Louis looked to be very excited as he joined his family for the celebrations on the balcony this afternoon
- An animated Louise looked to hold his hand out as he and his family viewed the fly past this afternoon
- The young prince pointed up as he observed the planes with his family, looking delighted as he did so
- The Waleses all looked up in awe as they joined other Royal Family members in looking over the fly past
- The display involving the Red Arrows and a score of historic and current military aircraft was the culmination of the military procession through London as the four-day VE celebrations began.
Earlier in the day, Louis shared an adorable moment with William – and kept his father looking sharp as he brushed down his uniform at Buckingham Palace.
The young royal, who turned seven just a few weeks ago, took his seat next to the future King, 43 at the Palace ahead of a celebration to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day.
As he sat down next to his dad, who donned his military uniform, cheeky Louis turned to William and began to brush down the shoulder of his military jacket.
The young royal, sat alongside his parents and his older siblings Charlotte and George – ahead of the parade held on Bank Holiday Monday.
As the youngest Wales child, known for his playful antics at public events, helped to sharpen up his father, he was also pictured tugging on part of the uniform.
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Louis appeared to share a moment with his mother, the Princess of Wales, as he turned around to speak with her
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Cheeky Louis was in high spirits as he pulled some very animated facial expressions on the balcony
Kate appeared to chat to her youngest son as she doted on her children on the balcony this afternoon
Happy Louis faced his mother as he appeared to chat to her about the planes while they observed from the balcony
Louis was very excitedly taking in the planes overhead as he joined his mother, father and siblings
The young prince laughed along with his mother as the family observed the fly-past from the balcony
In-between waving at the well-wishers, Louis pointed up at the sky and seemingly took in the fly-past
Young Louis was clearly excited to bask in the festivities with his family this afternoon, looking up at the sky
Kate laughed as her children – George, Charlotte and Louis – looked to enjoy the festivities for VE Day this afternoon
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The family waved at crowds as they joined other family members on the balcony for today’s festivities
The Prince and Princess of Wales were joined by their children – Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis
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Kate beamed at her young children as they joined her and the Prince of Wales on the balcony today
Louis looked to be very animated and excited as he took in the fly-past which took place this afternoon
The Waleses were seen looking up at the sky as they enjoyed the fly-past with one another today
William and Kate were in high spirits as they took in the fly-past with their children from the balcony
The children all to the left to get a better view of the festivities as they enjoyed the fly-past today
William and Kate, along with their children, were curious and in awe as they enjoyed the fly-past
The family looked to be very animated as they observed the fly past this afternoon, from the balcony
William doted on his youngest son Louis as he gently put a hand on his shoulder today, for the celebrations
Louis walked next to his father, sporting a smart suit, as he joined his family for today’s celebrations
Louis also tugged on his father’s uniform as the pair sat in the front row of the specially made dias at Buckingham Palace
And in typical Louis fashion, he also playfully stuck out his tongue while waiting for the action to begin.
When Prince William, who was sat next to his youngest, pointed something out to Louis, the youngest Wales family member was quick to recreate his father’s gesture.
He was later seen clutching a fuzzy brown hot water bottle on what has been a significantly colder, overcast day in London than the past week, with temperatures plummeting to 14 degrees.
Also in attendance at the parade were King Charles and Queen Camilla, who donned a royal blue coat dress, as the royal family watched commemorations marking the end of the Second World War in Europe.
The royals observed a military procession from a specially built dais on the Queen Victoria Memorial outside Buckingham Palace while thousands of people packed the streets as four days of commemorations began.
Kate was pictured arriving in a car with Charlotte and Louis at about 11.45am, while Charles and Camilla waved to the crowds from another vehicle shortly after before the royals took their seats.
Hundreds of street parties are also being held across the country while formal military events take place in London, with the procession involving 1,300 members of the Armed Forces from Parliament Square to the Mall.
This will be followed by the Royal Family watching a flypast of iconic Royal Air Force planes from the palace balcony, before Charles hosts a tea party for some of the last living heroes of the conflict as well as their families.
While his family sat and watched the parade, Prince Louis was up to his old tricks as he playfully stuck out his tongue
The plans were long in place before Harry said his ‘devastating’ loss in the Court of Appeal, which rejected his bid to reinstate his round-the-clock police bodyguard in the UK, meant his family could never return to Britain.
Harry claimed in a dramatic BBC television interview last Friday that his father Charles will not speak to him and he does not know ‘how much longer my father has’ as he spoke of his hopes for a ‘reconciliation’ with his family.
The Duke described his court defeat as a ‘good old-fashioned establishment stitch-up’, but his decision to speak out appears to have worsened the chances of an end to his estrangement, amid suggestions the King and his brother William will fear more than ever that any conversation with Harry would end up in the public domain.
Meanwhile, Harry’s wife Meghan Markle earlier posted a photo of him and their children in an apparent show of solidarity. The black and white image, which was not accompanied by a message on Meghan’s Instagram, showed Harry, from behind, walking with Princess Lilibet on his shoulders and Prince Archie holding his hand in a garden.
Today, Buckingham Palace hopes the position of senior royals at the forefront of VE Day commemorations will refocus attention on their unifying role and positive contribution to public life, as opposed to Harry’s latest salvos.
It is understood that, for the surviving veterans’ sake, the ‘fervent hope’ is that nothing will detract or distract from ‘celebrating with full cheer and proud hearts that precious victory and those brave souls, on this most special and poignant of anniversaries’.
A palace aide said: ‘The King, Queen and other members of The Royal Family are much looking forward to all the week’s VE Day events, when they will unite with the rest of the nation and those across the Commonwealth and wider world in celebrating, commemorating and giving thanks to the wartime generation whose selfless devotion duty and service should stand as an enduring example to us all – and must never be forgotten.’
Charles was wearing Naval Uniform No.1 dress, with no medals or decorations, as his grandfather King George VI wore on the palace balcony on VE Day in 1945 – while William wore RAF No.1 Uniform.
Louis, seven, appeared to have had enough of the festivities as he sat alongside his father
A little too much for a young prince! Louis tried and failed to stifle a yawn as a concerned Prince William watched on
Prince Louis proudly showed off his gap-toothed smile as he chatted away to his father Prince William
The young prince, who turned seven last month, delighted royal fans with his antics in the front row
Prince Louis seen clutching a fuzzy brown hot water bottle on what has been a significantly colder, overcast day in London than the past week, with temperatures plummeting to 14 degrees
Prince William was sat next to his youngest son Louis, who recently celebrated his seventh birthday
Like father, like son! Prince Louis copying his father’s pointing finger gesture at the VE Day celebrations this morning
Louis, whose appearance marks his first in public since he turned seven, sat alongside his older siblings Charlotte, 10, and George, 11
Louis tilted his head back and faced the sky, showing off his gapped teeth after having lost his baby teeth recently
The royal Wales children dutifully waved to the crowd as they sat in the front row of the armed forces and veterans’ parade
As Prince Louis sat next to his father Prince William, 43, he had made sure the future King was looking prim and proper
The Prince of Wales sat in the front row to watch the celebrations, flanked on his right by Prince Louis, seven, and Prince George, 11
The royals sat in the front row of the audience to watch the procession. L-R: Princess of Wales, Princess Charlotte, Prince George, Prince Louis, Prince William
The Wales children looked serious as they watched the parade while their parents beamed
The royal family looked regal with some members in military uniform as they arrived at Buckingham
Charlotte walked alongside the Duchess of Edinburgh as she arrived at the palace
The Princess of Wales arrives in Westminster this morning with Princess Charlotte (left) and Prince Louis (right)
Military personnel take up their positions in Parliament Square this morning ahead of the military procession for VE Day 80
Members of the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment ahead of the military procession through Central London today
Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch (left) ahead of the military procession for the 80th anniversary of VE Day in London
Camilla was dressed in a sapphire blue wool crepe dress and coat, by Fiona Clare, with the 12th Royal Lancers Brooch, the regiment of her late father Major Bruce Shand.
The Duke of Edinburgh wore Army No.2 Service Dress of the Scots Guards, while Duke of Kent wore Field Marshal No.2 Service Dress.
Princess Anne, who was also present, wore the uniform of the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry (Princess Royal’s Volunteer Corps) with no decorations.
The late Queen Elizabeth II, as Princess Elizabeth, wore the military uniform for her palace balcony appearance on VE Day 1945 as a member of the Auxiliary Territorial Services.
Nato allies will join 1,300 members of the armed forces for a procession in the city, and the words of Sir Winston Churchill’s 1945 victory speech will be spoken by actor Timothy Spall to kick off events for the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day.
In Whitehall the Cenotaph was draped in a large Union flag, with the south and north face of the landmark covered. It is the first time the war memorial has been draped in Union flags since it was unveiled by King George V more than a century ago, in 1920.
Crowds started to gather on The Mall this morning, with some arriving the day before to secure a good viewing spot. Caroline Tomlinson, 59, travelled from Doncaster to witness the parade and camped overnight.
Dressed in Union flags, she said: ‘I’ve been watching lots of footage from 1945 when everybody was gathering outside the palace, so just great to be a part of it here we are again 80 years later to do the very same. I got here at 2pm yesterday afternoon, sat in the red chair all night, had a little bit of sleep.