Prince Louis may have just turned eight, but this birthday is said to mark an important turning point for him.
According to insiders, the youngest son of Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales is about to move on from a long-standing royal custom that has been followed for generations.
Louis, currently fourth in line to the throne, celebrates his birthday on 23 April. He is three years younger than his sister Princess Charlotte, who turns 11 soon, and five years younger than his brother Prince George.
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To mark the occasion, Kensington Palace released a new official portrait, continuing the usual tradition of sharing a photo for royal birthdays. In the image, Louis is seen wearing a navy knitted quarter-zip jumper with orange details, smiling with a noticeable gap in his teeth as his hair is tousled by the wind.
While the photo doesn’t show what he’s wearing below the waist, there’s speculation that this could be the moment he swaps his usual shorts for full-length trousers.
That’s because royal boys have long followed a tradition of wearing shorts during childhood. Prince Harry once joked about this in a documentary, recalling how he and his brother were often dressed in what he called “the most bizarre outfits,” which almost always included short trousers.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are delighted to share three new photographs of Prince Louis ahead of his first birthday tomorrow 🎈
The photographs were taken earlier this month by The Duchess at their home in Norfolk. pic.twitter.com/VOJ7rhKthz
— The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) April 22, 2019
Etiquette expert William Hanson has also explained that this custom typically lasts until around the age of eight. In traditional British upper-class culture, young boys wear shorts, while trousers are seen as something for older boys and men. Wearing shorts was once considered a subtle marker of status, distinguishing aristocratic families from more “suburban” styles.
The practice has roots going back centuries, linked to the old custom of “breeching,” when young boys would transition from wearing dresses to short trousers as a sign of growing up.
Royal author Ingrid Seward has also noted that turning eight is often the point when boys move into long trousers, marking a small but meaningful step toward growing up.
So while it might seem like a simple wardrobe change, for Prince Louis, it represents a quiet shift away from tradition and into a new stage of childhood.
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