The baby of the Cambridge family turns three on Friday! To celebrate the occasion, Kensington Palace released a new photo of Prince Louis, not only marking his third birthday, but his first day at nursery. Louis follows in big sister Charlotte's footsteps by attending Willcocks Nursery School in Kensington. The Duchess of Cambridge photographed her youngest child arriving on his red Frog bike earlier this week. Louis had been due to start in January, however it was postponed due to lockdown. I'm always struck by just how much Louis resembles his mum - increasingly so in fact as he grows.
The school was founded in 1964 by Diana Willcocks and has been at its current location in the church hall of Holy Trinity Church, Prince Consort Road, London since 1984. The school is owned and run by its headmistress, Lavinia Taylor, and her fellow teachers, Louise Ward, Sarah Walker, Rosa Rego Dias and Jennifer Robbins. It is known as a traditional nursery school which strives to maintain its ethos of high standards, excellence and good manners. You'll recall darling photos of Charlotte were released when she started there.
George attended nursery in Norfolk at Westacre Montessori School as the Cambridges were primarily based at Anmer Hall at the time. Remember when George was this little?
Louis was born on a sunny St George's Day morning at St Mary's Hospital three years ago.
Several weeks later, we saw him in big sister Charlotte's arms.
To mark his first birthday, we saw several photos of the delightful Prince taken by his mum at Kensington Palace.
He looks exactly like a combo of George and Charlotte, it’s uncanny! What a cutie.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful photos! Happy 3rd birthday Louis! He looks so grown up. Hope he has a lovely day celebrating.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely little man! 😃 So grown and proud of his red bike!😊 Over the years, Kate has shared with us some truly wonderful photos of all three Cambridge children. He really looks so much like his Mum!
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday, Prince Louis, and thank you, Charlotte!
Such an adorable little guy! I take it that school is close to home and therefore he is able to ride to school? Charlotte can you enlighten us, please.
ReplyDeleteYes, he looks a lot like of his mother, the duchess. Happy Birthday, Prince Louis.
Thank you Charlotte, this made my day!.
Regards,
RW.
Hello RW,
DeleteYes easily. It's about a ten minute walk. Louis looked very excited :)
Charlotte:
DeleteThanks for your prompt response.
Best regards,
RW.
Impressed Louis can ride a 2 wheeler at age 3! He is such a happy child, right from the get go.
ReplyDeleteHe’s adorable, but I’m confused. Where are the bike pedals? Or is it an electric bike? I’m old, so it may be obvious, but I’m not seeing how he can propel himself. Best to you Charlotte. Mae in MN
ReplyDeleteHe propels himself with his feet!Those starter bikes have been around for a while. It makes transition to a real bike very easy.
DeleteMary it is not an electric bike. It simply doesn't have pedals. Starting with this bike make children a lot easier to learn to ride a bike. My daughter started with it and when she had her first bicycle she just sat and ran. (Sorry for my english which is my 3rd language). Anna
DeleteIt’s a balance bike, meant to train children. It helps them train the skill of balance, they have to use their feet to propel themselves. They’re quite popular. Btw Louis’ one sold out yesterday after the pic was released
DeleteHe is riding a balance bike. It has no pedals. The kids use their feet to propel themselves along. My grandsons loved theirs.
DeleteAnna in Australia
Ha, I didn't notice it at first, as my three year old already got a 'proper' bike. It is a balance bike, without pedals, the child uses his feet to propell himself, it's a great first step before riding a real bike and makes it a lot easier as you already know how to keep your balance.
DeleteIts a balance bike. Like a roller bc he can't ride a bike. You need your feet to "ride" the bike.
DeleteIt's likely a balance bike, one without pedals. The idea is that children learn to balance the bike by short spurts of coasting, thus, helping them to learn to balance the bike and 'ride' sooner. It's an alternative to training wheels, which make the transition to riding independently longer, apparently, since the children come to depend on them. Hope this helps!
DeleteHe propels himself with his feet on the ground. It's a bike for a very young child.
DeleteIt’s a balance bike, it’s good for balance practice
DeleteMy god-daughter had this type of bike when she was little; if the child pushes along with alternate feet they can learn to balance when the bike is in motion (and actually build up an impressive speed!) but also easily stop themselves falling by putting their foot / feet down - it's a training bike before one with pedals. :)
DeleteIt’s a strider bike without pedals it teaches young children balance before they go to a peddle bike.
DeleteHi Mary! You’re right no pedals! It’s a toddler balance bike where they basically walk with the illusion of steering themselves. It’s a good first step at this age to learning the skills for a real bike. 3 is still a little uncoordinated for a true bike. Both my daughters had one though theirs was pink and plastered with unicorns :)
DeleteThis is called a strider bike - the little kids learn balance but can put their feet down to propel!
DeleteIt's a balance bike, no pedals :)
DeleteThis is what is used now in place of "training wheels" - i think it looks like an easier transition for small children?! did they call them "training wheels" in the UK back in the day? i think i am dating myself even by saying training wheels! lol
DeleteI love that all the community on this blog is so helpful 🙂 so many replies. Yes, it is the balance bike, my daughter also used to have one of those, strenghtens legs very much. Happy 3rd Birthday Prince Louis and happy Nameday Prince George 🙂 Anna
DeleteCatherine and William have the cutest kids...love this latest photo of Louis.
ReplyDeleteAli, they really do have the cutest kids and all with different personalities! Love the photo, he has Kate's smile!
DeleteThe Birthday Boy is definitely his mothers son!
ReplyDeleteHandsome little guy. Happy HRH Prince Louis of Cambridge.
ReplyDeleteLovely picture! He is gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteHi Charlotte, you made a mistake: above the hospital picture you wrote that he was born 'two' years ago rather than three. For posters asking: the bike is meant to not have pedals - very young children use their legs to propel the bike and I think it must be a way of occasionally balancing with both feet off the ground so they get used to the feeling and helps them learn to ride a proper bike more quickly. I first saw a bike like this about 5 years ago. The photo is lovely; I think Catherine has had lots of practise taking photos of the children over the years and Louis' 'off to nursery' picture is better than George's although they are both charming.
ReplyDeleteThe bike is a kick bike thats why there is no pedals. For young kids its easier to kick and have the balance at the same time.
ReplyDeletePrince Louis is a handsome little boy! He favors his mother immensely. In answer to a previous guest’s question...He is riding a “balance bike.” It has no pedals, & the child learns to balance as he uses his feet to propel him forward. My grandchildren used them, & they were riding “real bikes” by age 4.
ReplyDeleteCharlotte he’s 2 or 3? I thought 3 but your caption next to Kate in the red dress says born on a sunny day 2 years ago. I used to have royal family dates so much better but the weddings and babies have come frequently in the past 5 years I’m mixed up!
ReplyDeleteCharlotte, there’s a typo above his baby picture. He was born three years ago.
ReplyDeleteThe little bike with no pedals is a new thing small children use now. It’s called a balance bike and they just push with their feet and then lift them up as they roll along
Just wow, all the children are beautiful! He really seems to favor his mother yet there is something so G/C about his button nose and smile. This may sound odd, but he seems to have William's head, was one of the first things to pop into my mind when i saw the pic! though i think he will retain his hair:) looks way older than 3, very composed and grown up on his bike. as with all children i hope the sparkle never leaves his eyes. happy 3rd birthday Prince Louis!
ReplyDeleteJust to clarify, when I said to me it seemed that louis had Williams head, I meant literally the shape of his head. I think he resembles the Middleton's more facially and is blend of George and Charlotte, but that his head was for sure William shaped:) lol
DeleteLol Caroline, I got what you meant and I agree! It's so funny what we each pick up on, but I think William has Philip's head shape too! Little bits from each of the family.
DeleteCaroline after you mentioned William I went back to look at the photos and my first impression looking at them has always been Catherine and her Father but I see a very strong William look in this latest photo, especially the upper face. I am so interested to see how all the kids grow and whom they will favor as they get older.
ReplyDeleteWhat a darling little boy - always laughing in photos. And he’s his grandpa Middleton’s mini me.
ReplyDeleteKate really has captured some wonderful moments of her children!! So looking forward to following this lovely family and seeing the children grow up, they seem to have such vitality. Would agree with Caroline, hope Louis never loses his sparkle!
ReplyDeleteWow little Louis look a lot like his grandfather Michael Middleton I would say. A real cute little boy. Ready to go on his transportation, to Nursery School.
ReplyDeleteLove this little guy! Happiest birthday little prince 👑
ReplyDeleteKate's photos are really good. I remember photos of William and Harry that were fought for -- it was upsetting to them and Diana and so unfair. By Kate providing these images, we see happy photos of the children and there is no stress on their part. And we see enough for photographers not to be in hiding to get a glimpse. A change for the good.
ReplyDeleteLouis is precious.
ReplyDeleteThis is the cutest picture ever. He's adorable, going to be a knockout just like his mother!
ReplyDeleteHe's got those handsome "Middleton genes". Both Kate's father and her brother are handsome men.
Delete@Charlotte: Dear Charlotte, there might have been a misunderstanding. Louis didn't ride to nursery by bike- at least that is not what is seenn on the picture. It was taken on the grounds of KP before he left for nursery. At least that seems to be the general reporting.
ReplyDeleteI actually cannot imagine they will let Louis ride this bike to nursery. They go incredibly fast and children that young are not as capapble of dealing with traffic as older children. From experience this having them on such bike in the city at that age is extremly nerve wrecking. We haven't seen the others going to nusery/school by bike or foot, so I think Louis is not an exception.
C.
C, I think you're correct. When the photo was released there was some confusion. I'm inclined to think you're right about KP.
Delete