Prince Louis has his grandfather wrapped around his little finger!
Royal admirers haven't seen much of Prince William and Kate Middleton's baby boy since he was born six months ago. But to their delight and surprise, in BBC One's new documentary Prince, Son and Heir: Charles at 70, little Louis was shown in a blink-and-you'll-miss-it moment.
Getty Images' royal photographer Chris Jackson captured an intimate moment in which Prince Charles cooed over his youngest grandchild while chatting with the Duchess of Cambridge. (Kate wore the same Alessandra Rich dress Abigail Spencer wore to the royal wedding in May.)
The picture was taken in the gardens of Charles' London home, Clarence House, in September. Nestled in his mother's arms, Louis wore a white dressing gown for his rare public appearance. After his brief photo op on the steps outside the Lindo Wing at St. Mary's Hospital in April, fans saw him just once more, when he was baptized in July in the Chapel Royal at St. James's Palace. While Prince George, 5, and Princess Charlotte, 3, served as a pageboy and a bridesmaid in Princess Eugenie's wedding to Jack Brooksbank Oct. 12, Louis remained at Kensington Palace.
In the documentary, William said he hopes Charles will spend more time at home—especially before he becomes King. "It's something I'm working on heavily. I think he does have time for it, but I would like him to have more time with the children," the Duke of Cambridge said. "Having more time with him at home would be lovely—and being able to, you know, play around with the grandchildren. When he is there, he's brilliant, but we need him there as much as possible."
Louis is fifth in the line of succession to the British throne, behind his grandfather, father and siblings; he is the first British prince to be ranked behind an elder sister in the line of succession.
Fascination with the royal family reached an all-time high after Meghan joined the fray in May, just weeks after Louis' birth. In the following months, Kate took a break from her royal responsibilities to tend to her three kids during the summer holiday. The Duchess of Cambridge ended her maternity leave Oct. 2, visiting the Sayers Croft Trust Forest School and Wildlife Garden at London's Paddington Recreation Ground—where she enchanted the kids, of course.