On Saturday, the entire Wales family attended the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. In my opinion, they were likely ordered to show up en masse by Buckingham Palace or perhaps even their own clownish staffers. The Daily Mail was clearly trying to pressure Prince William and Kate into going to the games last week. The old tug on the leash from their media handlers, I guess. What was slightly funny about the family’s appearance at the games is that the over-the-top keenery belied the fact that everyone expects William and Kate to be lazy and hidden away. They’ve succeeded at setting the bar in hell. So once they actually show up, people are like “wow, this is SO unusual, we thought you guys would be on vacation for three solid months!” Which isn’t really a win for W&K, but don’t tell them that.

Anyway, almost as soon as all three Wales kids appeared, everyone focused on Prince Louis, because he rarely gets to join his siblings at public events. Granted, we just saw him at Trooping the Colour in June, but that’s basically the only time they allow him in public these days. Well, royalists have zero chill about Louis, and there are already commentary pieces about “Louis’s charm offensive” and “Louis is the real secret weapon!” The child is 8 years old. Let poor Sophie be the secret weapon for a few more years and leave the kids alone.

Prince Louis has quietly become the Royal Family’s biggest breakout star—and palace insiders tell Naughty But Nice that’s no coincidence. After charming crowds with his infectious grin, playful energy, and effortless confidence at the Commonwealth Games, the youngest Wales child emerged as the royal everyone was talking about. Behind palace walls, we’re told the reaction was one of satisfaction, not surprise.

“Louis is media gold,” a senior palace source tells Naughty But Nice. “You can’t manufacture that kind of charisma. He genuinely loves meeting people, lights up in a crowd, and never looks like he’s performing. What you see is exactly who he is.”

Rather than toning him down, insiders say Kensington Palace views Louis as a vital part of the monarchy’s future.

“He’s the Crown’s secret weapon,” another insider says. “George represents duty, Charlotte projects confidence, and Louis brings joy. Within seconds he can make people smile, and that’s an extraordinary gift for a modern royal.”

The approach stands in sharp contrast to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s decision to keep Archie and Lilibet largely out of public view. While the Sussexes have also carefully controlled images of their children, William and Catherine have gradually introduced George, Charlotte, and Louis to royal life.

“The Palace believes familiarity builds trust,” says one source. “The public feels they’ve grown up alongside these children, creating a connection that can’t be manufactured.”

Don’t expect Louis to become a full-time royal attraction just yet. Palace aides remain committed to protecting his childhood.

“This wasn’t a one-off,” a royal insider says. “The Palace knows exactly what it has in Prince Louis—and you’ll be seeing a lot more of him in the years ahead.”

[From Rob Shuter’s Substack]

The thing is, I actually think “palace sources” are saying this. Like, dusty old courtiers are gleefully rubbing their hands together and trying to figure out how to push all three kids out into the public sphere, especially Charlotte and Louis (the spares). George is always going to be more protected, as his father was, while the spares are fed to the wolves and mercilessly scapegoated. I’m so uncomfortable with calling an eight-year-old “media gold” as well – he was just acting his age in public, with his family. He was actually very well-behaved at the CG. The sad truth is that the courtiers and the royalists *want* Louis to be gregarious and chaotic because that’s a built-in comparison with George: George is studious, thoughtful, controlled and stable… unlike his brother George. The Windsors are just going to keep reheating these nachos forever.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.