Wimbledon’s men’s final brought out the Wales family in full force on Sunday, but royal fans quickly noticed one key member was missing – Prince Louis.
The seven-year-old, known for his playful antics, was notably absent from SW19. However, his doting mother, the Princess of Wales, ensured her youngest son was still very much with her in spirit.
Kate, who affectionately refers to Louis as ‘Lou-bug’, donned a stunning gold pendant around her neck that contained a sweet and subtle tribute to the young royal.
© Alamy Stock PhotoThe mother-of-three accessorised her chic royal blue outfit with a beautiful 9ct gold pendant from Daniella Draper, adorned with gemstones. But this wasn’t just any piece of jewellery.
The exquisite £3,000 pendant holds a special hidden meaning for Prince Louis. The gems embedded within are the birthstone for April – the very month Louis was born.
© GettyThe youngest of the Wales children celebrated his seventh birthday on 23 April, with Kensington Palace marking the occasion by sharing a sweet video of the cheeky royal playing outside on the Sandringham Estate.
He last delighted royal fans with his famously funny facial expressions and adorable beaming smile at Trooping the Colour in June.
© Getty ImagesHis older siblings, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, were on their best behaviour on Sunday as they took their seats in the front row of the coveted Royal Box on Centre Court to see Jannik Sinner defeat Carlos Alcaraz.
Afterwards, the new Wimbledon champion signed a few tennis balls for the kids and later revealed that he asked them what type of rackets they use when they play tennis.
Wimbledon: 5 surprising facts
© AFP via Getty Images1. A lot of tennis balls
Throughout the tournaments, Wimbledon goes through over 50,000 tennis balls! After the first seven games, the balls are replaced and refrigerated to maintain bounce.
2. Strawberries and cream
Tennis and strawberries are never apart throughout Wimbledon, and in fact, they only get the fruit from one supplier. Last year, Hugh Lowe Farm in Kent provided around 1.5 million strawberries over the two-week tournament.
3. Rufus the Hawk
Rufus, the hawk, has been the protector of the Wimbledon courts for the past ten years. He flies above the grounds in the early AM to chase away any pigeons to maintain a pristine court condition.
4. Prize money
The winners of the ladies’ and gentlemen’s singles championships will each receive £2.2 million. Additionally, the winners of every round will also receive money, ranging from £1500 for the winner of the first round of mixed doubles, up to £1.1 million for the runner-up in the final.
5. Longest match in history
In June 2010, John Isner and Nicolas Mahut battled for 11 hours and 5 minutes over three days, with the longest match in professional tennis history. The match totalled 183 games, and John eventually won 70-68.
“In the beginning, I didn’t know what to say,” Jannik shared in his post-match press conference. “It’s difficult to understand, you know, how you can talk. I always try to talk very natural.
“I asked the kids if they play tennis and asked them what kind of rackets they play with, these kind of things.
“It was amazing. I believe for us tennis players, it’s so nice to have them watching us because it makes it even more special.”
He added: “You see how much they care about tennis and the sport itself. It’s very prestigious. I’ve been lucky to meet her and the whole family, and it was a very nice moment.”
