Although Prince Louis is less than three years younger than his older sister, Princess Charlotte, his birth certificate contains several notable differences.
In fact, Louis’ official record also varies in multiple ways from that of his eldest sibling, Prince George, raising curiosity among royal watchers.
For those who may need a refresher, Louis, now six years old, is the son of Prince William and Kate Middleton—officially known as the Prince and Princess of Wales. He was born at 11:01 a.m. on April 23, 2018, at St Mary’s Hospital in London.
The similarities
Louis’ full title was recorded on his birth certificate as “His Royal Highness Prince Louis Arthur Charles of Cambridge,” mirroring the format used for his siblings, George and Charlotte.
George’s certificate stated his title as “His Royal Highness Prince George Alexander Louis of Cambridge,” while Charlotte’s read “Her Royal Highness Princess Charlotte Elizabeth Diana of Cambridge.”
Following their father Prince William’s appointment as Prince of Wales—a title he inherited after King Charles III ascended the throne in 2022—the siblings’ territorial designation could now be updated to “of Wales” instead of “of Cambridge.”
On all three birth certificates, their mother, now 43, is listed as “Her Royal Highness Catherine Elizabeth, The Duchess of Cambridge,” while their father, 42, appears as “His Royal Highness Prince William Arthur Philip Louis, Duke of Cambridge.”
One big difference
That said, there are some noticeable differences in the formatting of Louis’ birth certificate compared to those of his older siblings—the most striking being how the registrar signed the document.
For his 11-year-old brother, Prince George—who is also the future King—and nine-year-old Princess Charlotte, their birth certificates were completed entirely by hand. Each section was carefully filled out using pen and paper.
Interestingly, the same registrar seems to have signed both documents, as the handwriting appears identical on each.
However, Louis’ birth certificate was processed differently. Instead of being handwritten, the details were typed on a computer, and a different registrar handled the filing.
According to Town & Country, this difference may simply come down to a “matter of preference” by whoever holds the position at the time, whether they choose to type or write it out by hand.
“Or perhaps protocols have changed within the registrar’s office over the past few years.”
Who knew?