Like father, like son: Photographs of a young Prince William and Louis leaving people seeing double

He’s the little Prince Charming who never fails to make us smile.

And as Charles was officially crowned King at his Coronation on Saturday, it was five-year-old Prince Louis who almost stole the show with his animated expressions. 

Yet, the apple clearly doesn’t fall far from the tree, as these heartwarming and amusing pictures of a young Prince William reveal. 

Despite many believing it is Prince George who is the spitting image of his father, these pictures of Louis alongside the Prince of Wales will have you doing a double-take.

At the Coronation, the fourth in line to the throne appeared at times preoccupied as he yawned during the two-hour ceremony.

A similar photo of Prince William from the wedding of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson in Westminster Abbey in July 1986 shows the young Prince yawning in boredom. 

Keeping you up? The Prince and the Princess of Wales's youngest son Louis - who turned five on St George's Day on April 23rd - melted hearts again at Westminster Abbey on May 6

Keeping you up? William at the wedding of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson in 1986 (left) and The Prince and the Princess of Wales’s youngest son Louis (right) at Westminster Abbey on May 6

A second snapshot from the Coronation shows how the little royal couldn’t contain his excitement at Buckingham Palace as he gestured into the crowd.

The newly-crowned King and Queen appeared on the balcony with a select group of senior royals as The Mall was swamped by tens of thousands of cheering patriots.

Louis gestured wildly out into the crowd as he spoke to his parents, pointing and commenting: ‘Look over there!’

An equally excited William was photographed aged four on the Buckingham Palace Balcony in 1986 as he waved to the crowds. 

Prince Louis offered a double handed wave to the crowds of royal fans who gathered outside Buckingham Palace on the Coronation day

Prince Louis offered a double handed wave to the crowds of royal fans who gathered outside Buckingham Palace on the Coronation day

This photo shows a four-year-old William waving just like his son Louis

This photo shows a four-year-old William waving just like his son Louis 

Always the doting mother, Diana was often seen being affectionate with her two sons.

A heart-warming photo shows an eight-year-old Prince William in 1990 cuddling up to Diana and stroking her face at The International Horse Show in Olympia, west London. 

More than 20 years later, Louis similarly doted on his mother Kate with kisses and cuddles during the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Pageant in June last year. 

Like father like son, both young royals are without a doubt their mother’s boys at heart.

Beloved mother: A heart-warming photo shows eight-year-old Prince William cuddling up to Diana and stroking her face at The International Horse Show in 1990

Beloved mother: A heart-warming photo shows eight-year-old Prince William cuddling up to Diana and stroking her face at The International Horse Show in 1990

Prince Louis also showered his mother, Kate Middleton, with kisses and cuddles during the Queen's Platinum Jubilee Pageant in June last year

Prince Louis also showered his mother, Kate Middleton, with kisses and cuddles during the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Pageant in June last year

Prince William scowling while on holiday in Majorca, Spain, in August, 1987

Prince Louis during the Trooping the Colour on June 2, 2022 in London

Like father like son: An unimpressed Louis (right) is the spitting image of five-year-old Wills (left)

Another photo shows a five-year-old Prince William, dressed in a white and red striped t-shirt, with a look of anguish during a holiday in Majorca, Spain, in August 1987. 

The resemblance in these photos is uncanny, with Louis’ hair trimmed and combed neatly into place, just like his father’s was styled during his youth. Even their furrowed brows and displeased smiles hilariously match to a tee. 

Both Prince Louis and George are also frequently dressed in outfits similar to those worn by their father during his childhood in the 80s. So it comes as no surprise that the young royal is the spitting image of Prince William.

A snap of Prince Louis appearing on the balcony to mark Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee shows him wearing the same white and navy sailor outfit, which a two-year-old Prince William wore 38 years ago.

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Childhood memories: Prince William, then almost three, with his cousin Zara Phillips (left) and Davina Windsor (right) on the balcony of Buckingham Palace at Trooping the Colour in 1985

Look over there! At one point Louis echoed his father and pointed out something to his sister Charlotte and great-grandmother the late Queen Elizabeth

Look over there! At one point Louis echoed his father and pointed out something to his sister Charlotte and great-grandmother the late Queen Elizabeth 

Strike a pose! A young Prince William posing on the balcony of Buckingham Palace in London for the Trooping the Colour ceremony, June 1984

Strike a pose! A young Prince William posing on the balcony of Buckingham Palace in London for the Trooping the Colour ceremony, June 1984

The Trooping the Colour marked the start of the late Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations - but it was Louis who really stole the show with his hilarious expressions

The Trooping the Colour marked the start of the late Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations – but it was Louis who really stole the show with his hilarious expressions

Prince Louis puts both his hands on his face at the Trooping the Colour in June 2022

Prince William on the balcony of Buckingham Palace for the Trooping the Colour ceremony on June 11, 1988

A rather tired looking pair: Prince Louis and William both put their hands on their faces

Eagle-eyed royals fans will have clocked that the ensemble is almost identical to the shirt Prince William wore to Trooping the Colour in 1985. Some suggested it could even be the same suit, perfectly preserved for almost 40 years.

At one point when Louis was watching Trooping the Colour with his siblings and cousins, he even mimicked his father by pointing out something – just as William did with his cousin Zara almost four decades ago.  

In other pictures from the same event, Louis pulled a series of hilarious faces – including pulling a surprised look and holding his face in his hands while watching the flypast alongside the late Queen and his mother.

It seems like Louis developed his penchant for funny faces from William as the now Prince of Wales was pictured pulling the exact amazed expression while on the balcony of Buckingham Palace in London for the Trooping the Colour ceremony, in June 1984.

In yet another indistinguishable photo, William was also captured holding his hand over his eyes as he posed on the royal balcony in June 1988, just before his sixth birthday. 

The then Prince Charles holding two-year-old William

Louis was held by his father the entire time just as Charles also held William during his first Trooping The Colour

The apple never falls far from the tree: Both Prince William (left) and Louis (right) sit in their father’s arms on the royal balcony 

Prince William in the royal carriage waving while riding along fan-lined route to church wedding of Prince Andrew & Sarah Ferguson

Prince William in the royal carriage waving while riding along fan-lined route to church wedding of Prince Andrew & Sarah Ferguson

Prince George, Prince Louis and Princess Charlotte riding together in a carriage during Trooping The Colour last year

Prince George, Prince Louis and Princess Charlotte riding together in a carriage during Trooping The Colour last year

While his latest appearance made countless headlines, in many ways, Louis’s Trooping the Colour debut was very similar to William’s back in 1984. For the event, Kate and William dressed their youngest son in a classic white-and-blue outfit, just as William had worn all those years ago. 

On the balcony, Louis was held by his father the entire time just as Charles also held William as the young royal looked around in awe at the procession.  

Last year, the Waleses’ three children rode in the Trooping the Colour procession for the first time, expertly smiling and waving as they passed the cheering spectators.

The lovely photograph of the siblings was reminiscent of a young William waving to the crowd as he rode in a royal carriage along the route to the wedding of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson in 1986.

While Louis is often compared to his uncle Harry, the Duke of Sussex – who was seen as the ‘cheeky’ royal growing up –  another shot of the playful young William at his uncle’s wedding proves otherwise.

Four-year-old Prince William, who acted as a pageboy, alongside cousins Zara Phillips and Peter Phillips, then eight, was dressed in a sweet white and blue outfit. 

However, he showed off his spirited side when sticking out his tongue at Laura Fellowes during the royal wedding. Hilariously, Louis was also caught on camera sticking his tongue out at Kate at last year’s Jubilee Pageant. 

Page boy Prince William sticking out his tongue at Laura Fellowes during the wedding of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson in 1986

Page boy Prince William sticking out his tongue at Laura Fellowes during the wedding of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson in 1986

Prince Louis sticks his tongue out at his mother as they attend the Platinum Pageant in June

Prince Louis sticks his tongue out at his mother as they attend the Platinum Pageant in June

Prince William as page boy at the Wedding of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson in 1986

Prince Louis watching the Platinum Jubilee Pageant from the Royal Box in 2022

Cheeky grins: William’s smile also left him looking exactly like Louis’ double when compared to a photo of his son from the Platinum Jubilee Pageant

Unimpressed William: The young Prince looking gloomy while riding in a horsedrawn carriage at the Trooping the Colour ceremony in June, 1987

Unimpressed William: The young Prince looking gloomy while riding in a horsedrawn carriage at the Trooping the Colour ceremony in June, 1987

The Princess of Wales and Louis arriving for the traditional Easter Sunday Mattins Service at St. George's Chapel

The Princess of Wales and Louis arriving for the traditional Easter Sunday Mattins Service at St. George’s Chapel

Adorable photos of the young royals sticking out their tongues show their charming family resemblance. His mischievous little smile also left him looking exactly like Louis’ double when compared to a photo of his son from the Platinum Jubilee Pageant. 

A more recent photo of Louis at the Easter Sunday service – just shy of his fifth birthday – shows how the little Prince is growing up fast, looking ever more like his father.

The family resemblance between Louis and a photo of the five-year-old William sitting in a carriage is undeniable as both young boys look out with cheeky scowls at the photographers. 

While it is a universal experience that people are told that they look like their parents, it is truly heartwarming when we see these connections made by the Royals too. 

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