The youngest child of the Prince and Princess of Wales, Prince Louis, has become something of a scene-stealer at royal events, known for his playful spirit. Today he celebrates his seventh birthday today and there is no doubt he will be surrounded by his family including Prince George, Princess Charlotte and the Prince and Princess of Wales.
The Duke of Sussex reportedly once splashed out £8,000 for a very special gift for his nephew’s christening, which had a poignant link to his mother, Princess Diana.
The late Princess of Wales was known to have a passion for collecting the first editions of classic books and so Harry decided to carry on this tradition. According to reports, Uncle Harry purchased a first-edition copy of A.A Milne’s Winnie the Pooh from 1926 for the young royal.
In the first publication of the book, only 30,000 copies were made and it is understood that Harry purchased one of these rare books.
Initially, Harry considered gifting a first-edition of Lewis Carroll’s ‘Through the Looking-Glass’, which was priced at £24,000. However, he ultimately decided on Winnie the Pooh, aiming to start a collection of rare books for his nephews and niece. This book is understood be worth £8,000.
The sentimental gift also served as a tribute to Diana, Princess of Wales’ love for timeless literature.
A close friend revealed at the time: “One of Harry’s happiest childhood memories was being read a bedtime story by his mother. She loved all the old classics and Harry had the brilliant idea of starting a little library of first editions for Louis, Charlotte and George to enjoy as they get older.”
For Prince Louis’s christening, the youngest of the Wales children was dressed in a replica of the historic Royal christening gown, originally commissioned by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert for their first daughter’s baptism in 1841.
This gown had been worn by 62 Royal infants over a span of 163 years, with Lady Louise Windsor, daughter of The Earl and Countess of Wessex, being the final Royal to wear it at her christening in 2004.
Due to its fragile appearance, the late Queen Elizabeth II decided to preserve the original and commission a copy in 2008.
The responsibility of replicating the gown was given to Angela Kelly, the late Queen’s dressmaker and confidante, who detailed the process in her revealing book ‘The Other Side of the Coin: The Queen, the Dresser and the Wardrobe’.
