Prince Louis, the youngest child of Prince William and Princess Kate, has been a regular fixture in tabloid front pages lately. He rejected an honorary appointment from the World Conker Championships. At only seven years of age, Louis already has the whole world swooning with his royal heritage. He’s terribly into collecting conkers right now, which he particularly enjoys loading into his toy trucks.
The World Conker Championships occurs every year on the second Sunday in October in Northamptonshire. This year, they traveled to court to meet the young prince, in hopes of making him their honorary patron. This event has a storied past, having raised £420,000 for charities benefiting the visually impaired since it first debuted in 1965. Even with this lofty invitation, Louis’s parents decided to play it safe and focus on his academics. They didn’t want him to feel rushed to play.
A spokesperson from Kensington Palace stated, “We really appreciate the invite but currently Prince Louis is ‘conker-trating’ on his studies.” This reflects the couple’s commitment to prioritizing their children’s education over royal obligations at a young age.
Prince Louis has already engaged in official royal duties, having completed his first engagement in 2023 with the Scouts in Slough. His family is definitely in the public eye, as he has been spotted with them at many high-profile events. These nonchalant scenes span many years, including Trooping the Colour, the VE Day 80 commemorations and the Christmas Day walkabout.
Louis attends Lambrook Preparatory School in Berkshire. There, he’s learning and developing skills that will help him going forward. His family live in Windsor, famous perhaps for the heavy concentration of conkers found in its rich historic tree stock. Princess Kate humorously noted the impact Louis’s hobby has had on their household, saying, “We keep finding conkers in cupboards, in his bed – conkers everywhere!”
The royal family collectively chose to reject the ceremonial honor. This decision reflects their deep desire to provide their children with a typical upbringing. Prince George, the eldest sibling at nine years old, is set to transition to a new school at the end of the academic year in 2026, further emphasizing the family’s focus on education.
