Looks like they were pulling faces!

At Trooping the Colour on June 14, Prince Louis had an adorable interaction with Duchess Sophie that charmed royal watchers.

Trooping the Colour delivered plenty of memorable moments. But one of the sweetest came courtesy of Prince Louis, seven, and the Duchess of Edinburgh – his great-aunt.

Prince Louis was his usual mischievous self – mimicking his grandfather King Charles, being gently corrected by his eldest brother George and soaking up every moment of the royal spotlight.

But one heartwarming moment stole the spotlight behind the scenes, as captured in a candid photo shared online.
Prince Louis enjoyed Trooping the Colour by the looks of it! (Credit: SplashNews.com)

Prince Louis and Duchess Sophie at Trooping the Colour

In the shot, Sophie, 60, is seen leaning toward a gleeful Louis, while he gazes up at her with his mouth wide open in sheer delight.

Though his sister Princess Charlotte’s presence partially obscures Sophie’s face, royal fans have suggested that Louis’ expression indicates that the two may have been pulling funny faces at one another.

The photo was taken inside the Major-General’s Office.

One royal fan shared the photo on X, captioning it: “Prince Louis with the Duchess of Edinburgh in the Major General’s office.”

Social media quickly lit up with reactions.

It is so nice to have a big family that love and enjoy each other.

One fan exclaimed: “I love how close the Edinburghs and Waleses are.”

“That is family!!” Another gushed.

A third fan noted: “What a shame we can’t see her face. I bet she’s pulling one at Louis in return!”

“It is so nice to have a big family that love and enjoy each other,” one fan commented.

“Auntie Sophie is a great great auntie,” another echoed.

Fans noted that this interaction suggests a strong level of trust and closeness within the extended royal family.
Duchess Sophie was seen sharing a sweet moment with young Prince Louis (Credit: Cover Images)

Duchess Sophie’ bond with her family

While her children, Lady Louise Windsor and James, Earl of Wessex,  were notably absent from this year’s parade, Sophie’s presence at Louis’ side underlined her ever-growing bond with the Wales family.

This rapport was further highlighted during a joint engagement with Prince William in Cornwall earlier this month.

The pair visited a local food and farming event where they sampled food and alcohol.

Sophie, who serves as Vice President of the Royal Cornwall Agricultural Association and patron of the Association of Show and Agricultural Organisations, arrived to cheering crowds.

Whilst sampling local gin, the Prince of Wales caught Sophie going in for another taste and teasingly warned the vendors: “You’ve got to watch her!”

Turning to his aunt with a grin, he joked: “You’re not allowed to finish it.”

“He’s learnt from the best,” Sophie quipped back.

Sophie’s closeness to the Wales family was also apparent during Kate Middleton’s recent cancer battle.

Within royal circles, she has been described as a supportive “rock” to William and Catherine.

Since 2022, Sophie and her family have lived just a short distance from each other – the Edinburghs at Bagshot Park and the Waleses at Adelaide Cottage in Windsor Great Park.

That proximity seems to have allowed them to grow closer.