“It’s been such a difficult year for them,” Sophie Mirman, founder and creative director of Trotters (the brand behind Princess Charlotte’s burgundy coat worn to the carol service), told PEOPLE about George, Charlotte, and Louis. “It’s wonderful to see them all together.”
After undergoing major abdominal surgery in January, Kate publicly shared her cancer diagnosis through a video message on March 22. In her announcement, her three children were her primary concern. She stated in the video that she and William “have been doing everything we can to process and manage this privately for the sake of our young family. As you can imagine, this has taken time.”
A source close to the royal household commented on Kate’s situation, saying, “Life-threatening illnesses bring a reconsideration of priorities. She and William have always made it clear that family is the most important thing.”
Although this year has been challenging for Louis and his siblings, the young prince has taken up a new hobby — “the drums,” revealed dad William. “That’s why I spend my entire life with my fingers in my ears,” he joked.
Louis, who shares a close bond with his sister Charlotte, was “bursting” to share news about ballet dancers at their mom’s carol concert earlier this month. During the event, Kate recounted how Louis learned about the planned ballet performance roughly two weeks in advance and how she encouraged him to keep it a secret to surprise Charlotte, who is passionate about dance.
“So I said, ‘Louis, can you keep a secret? I want it to be a surprise for Charlotte, who loves her ballet dancing,’ and he said, ‘I won’t say anything!’ And he’s kept the secret, this is what, maybe two weeks? Quite good for a 6-year-old!” Princess Kate said with a smile.
“And then this morning he was like, ‘Please Mummy, can I tell her? I’m bursting!’, ‘cause I did the drop off and he really wanted to tell her,” she shared.
“I think, hopefully, he’s kept on with it. I don’t think he’s said anything,” she continued. “I asked her [Charlotte], just before we left, ‘Do you know what the surprise is?’ And she said no.”
