I watched the full "tantrum" video and loved it. Frankly, it was adorable and took me back to a more polite time. I presume (but obviously don't know for certain) that their children aren't allowed access to people or "entertainment" that shows what a full on tantrum looks like in so many children today.

His mom didn't look thrilled with him but she handled it well. IMO. Meanwhile, I've seen children in this country throw food across a restaurant and their parents never even looked up.

My Mom at 99 does not look frail. I said "Maybe". Just my thoughts that's all.

Eld, I hope you don't mind, I am posting a video about BoJo. Someone asked if his hair was actually unmanageable, no it is an affectation, artificial like everything else about him. Everything about Johnson is a lie, except for his ambition. He is yet another example of what our collective malaise is leading to politically. A man who has spent his life taunting and making fun of poor people has weaponized poor people's anxiety and political ignorance into helping a once powerful country commit political suicide by leaving the EU.

I am sorry Teeda, my reply was to Jmm… I apologize! I should not post without proofreading. I know that and yet I do it anyway 🙁

@Kswl

https://apple.news/AJXpNR-mCSwSXoGhbFJjswg

”The eco-preaching Duke and Duchess of Sussex returned to their £11million Montecito mansion with their children Archie and Lilibet on a gas-guzzling Bombardier Global 6000 before the grand finale of the Jubilee pageant even began on Sunday.

Bombardier is an 'ultra long range' 13-passenger private jet which comes with its own 'private stateroom' that features a flatbed and can travel more than 6,000 miles without stopping. It is not clear who paid for the £160,000 flight.”

On the subject of the child’s meltdown in public, I thought it was very unfortunate. By age four a child should not be trying to slap his mother’s face. She handled that well, I agree but then his gesture (thumbing his nose at her) was remarkably contemptuous for such a small child. I personally would not laugh something like that off as ”Oh, he’s a handful.”

Scout, thank you for that link to the Daily Mail, which many consider more tabloid entertainment than credible news, but you did not answer my question. 🧐

Oh, thank goodness you chimed in on this Kswl. I thought I was losing my mind. All I could think to justify that behavior at that age, aside from poor parenting, was perhaps the child has some other sensory issues, or such.

scout, if I were flying with two children 3 and 1, trans-atlantic and trans-continental, and had the means (and especially if I’m 40, and I know this from experience), I’d absolutely take that Global 6000!

He just turned 4 in April. However I agree, I didn't find that behavior towards his mother cute at all. It is one thing for a child that age to get bored , but to disrespect his mother in that way is beyond the pale. I remember that shortly after he was born, there was talk she wanted to having a forth, but it seems something or someone changed her mind.

And if anyone would like a humorous explanation of BoJo, with strong language (the link should work even if you don't have a NYT subscription): Tom Walker on Boris Johnson

To explain exactly why the British are so enraged with Mr. Johnson, who was already infamous for his troubled relationship with the truth, we produced a satirical Opinion Video with Jonathan Pie, a fictional broadcast reporter created and performed on YouTube by the comedian Tom Walker, whose acerbic, satirical monologues have gone viral.

^^^^ So, so good.

I don't remember the details now, but I do recall listening to a piece on NPR about Boris J. when he was poised to become the leader of his party - it was a very thorough detailing of what a fraud his is, as far as political principles, thought and leadership go. A history of changing with the political winds...

When i saw that i choked on my (iced) tea!

I think she's spot on regarding Louis. I can't imagine my boys at that age having such long hours for days and expected to be perfect for so long. Plus the youngest is usually the rowdiest! :)

https://www.hellomagazine.com/healthandbeauty/mother-and-baby/20220607142230/supernanny-reacts-prince-louis-cheeky-queen-jubilee-moment/

As for the Queen, God Save the Queen.

I am not a parent so I don't have the experience to say whether Louis behavior is normal or not, but I did find that video highly entertaining. I especially loved his gesture usage. I am grateful not to have to be in Kate's shoes trying to figure out how to manage Louis behavior when she probably has limited options knowing she's being watched and recorded and probably can't take him outside of the event to have a discussion or try to calm him. All in all they seem like a very cute set of kids.

Oh and I'm the youngest of two. I am excited to hear @Oakley that this gives me an excuse for being the rowdiest. ;-) (Honestly I probably wasn't the rowdiest, but I'd like to take this opportunity to become what I was second born to be.)

Prickly, being the youngest doesn't mean you will be the rowdiest, but it's normal for that to happen.

If they were anywhere other than on the balcony I'm sure Kate would have removed him from the scene pronto. But she couldn't, and did what most moms would have done. The kid is only four years old, and he hasn't been on royal jaunts too much because of his age. I'm sure he got a good talking to when they got home. Because of his age and circumstances I don't understand why it's even an issue.

That gesture is very, very rude. I’m kind of surprised he even knows it.

Is it? I think of it as something small children do on the playground.

In Italian culture, that gestures is funny and childish, not rude at all. There is a nonsense word we use when performing the gesture, my Italian is not good enough to transcribe it.

I have never seen it done in the US. Kswl calling it, Thumbing your nose was a revelation.

His nanny is Spanish and the housekeeper is Italian, at least that was the case in the past, so perhaps a Mediterranean spin on things. That said, in the context of the rest if the behavior, well, I am in the not acceptable camp.

@kswl Do I know if they used a private company that purchased carbon credits? No, but I certainly do not know that the company did not either. And given the bad press, tabloids or not, they have not issued a statement defending their flight.

Regardless, considering how serioius Meghan and Harry are about combatting climate change, they should know that the idea of purchasing carbon credits is not really considered an effective way to combat climate change. Some experts say it is more of a way to validate creating carbon emissions. There is really no measurable way to know that the credits have done any good.

From the NYTimes, not a tabloid (https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/18/climate/offset-carbon-footprint-air-travel.html):

“Part of the appeal of carbon offsets is the notion that it’s possible to meaningfully combat climate change while living our lives and structuring our society in the same way we always have. For that reason, some experts see carbon offsets as actively damaging, inasmuch as they give people cover to avoid reducing emissions at the source. “

@bpath yes, but you have not been on national media proclaiming the detrimental effects of climate change and how changes need to be made. If I was H and M, I would have purchased two rows of first class tickets on a commercial airliner and donated the difference from that 200k to a good cause.

In childish play, in my youth, the hand gesture he did was equal to sticking your tongue out at someone. Kind of a taunt, but few would have done either to an adult (to their face). But it definitely was not considered extremely rude in my neighborhood. We all knew it, we all did it when we were taunting someone or maybe to a parent if we were safely hidden from view. I remember getting my mouth washed out with soap, I suspect for getting caught sticking out my tongue at the wrong person. I don't ever imagine using that hand gesture except at another child. He could have picked it up from his older brother (if he goes to school with other children).

Oh my gosh! Did someone really say Louis’s behavior was the result of poor parenting? Are you kidding? First of all…the two older Cambridge children did very well. You know, bc they are older. And perhaps well-parented? Second of all, Kate was sitting there with her 4 year old misbehaving on full display to the world. I bet she wished more than anything she could remove him from the situation but she could not.

As a parent, being in that situation would have given me an anxiety attack! My children were pretty good, but to think that they would be judged by the world by some bored behavior at age 4 would horrify me! And for all we know, he may very well have sensory issues. Regardless, I thought Kate exemplified excellent parenting skills in an impossible moment.

I agree Nini. So many hours of being on display. And everything is recorded and will be remembered forever.

It was cute though how Charlotte tried to help her brothers behave on quite a few occasions.

KSWL, that gesture when we were young was extremely rude, but not now. It's child's play.

Do you all remember when Charlotte was about the same age she stuck her tongue out to the crowd when she was in a car? LOL Those kids are normal!

The child is too young to even know what the gesture means.

Yes, people trashed her parenting because of Prince Louis's behaviour. Ridiculous! I didn't realize there were so many perfect parents in the world. <insert eyeroll>

Duchess Catherine is technically a Princess of the United Kingdom. Prince William even stated such on the children's birth certificates. As a married woman, Catherine can also use a version of her husband's title, Her Royal Highness Princess William of Wales, in the same way Princess Michael of Kent is styled. That means she has the status of a princess, but her primary title is styled as that of a duchess: Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge. When the Queen conferred a Dukedom on Prince William upon his marriage he was given the titles Duke of Cambridge, Earl of Strathearn, and Baron Carrickfergus and it was to be known that they were to be the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

When Prince Charles becomes King, Catherine will be known as the Princess of Wales as Diana was. Camilla is entitled to use this title, but she does not.

I certainly did not fault the Cambridges’ parenting for their child’s behavior; in fact I commented that she handled it well. I absolutely stand by the fact, and my opinion, that a four year old should not be repeatedly trying to slap his mother’s face. I felt sorry for Kate, watching that. She was smiling and that must have cost her a lot.

Knowing how volatile he is I hope they rethink including the youngest in public events that are very long, hot and boring for a child his age. Just because his brother and sister may have tolerated such things at age four doesnt mean he can.

I said it could be poor parenting that caused Louis to behave the way he did. It could be other things. My thinking is that children can behave better at that age. Clearly that is not the majority opinion here, or most places. My personal experience bringing up my children shows me differently than most.

And Kate handled the situation beautifully. I could feel myself prespire in her place, quite literally. While my boys were angelic in adult focused situations with strong constraints, give them a parent co op preschool class with wishy washy constraints and they misbehaved, pushing and pushing boundaries. I was the parent dying in those situations.

Zalco, normally I'd agree except we have to take into consideration all the hours upon hours that child had to be on his best behavior, for days on end. Missing naps if he still takes them, probably late to bed early to rise, plus he just turned 4 in April. Good behavior all that time is a miracle. Even for me.

Anyone see this video? Megyn Kelly was on a roll. Skip it if you're a fan of the Markle's. :)

I heard they got boo'd but had no idea just how bad it was.

Eld, I forgot to comment on your OP, sorry! I think the bad press is justified for M & H, especially because their facial expressions immediately after they married up until the day of their last royal duty, which was in Church. All the royals were there and all serious because they were in Church. And then there's Harry shooting daggers the whole time, while Meghan was the ONLY one who smiled and smiled and smiled at the cameras. She was wearing that hideous green dress at the time.

Every single picture of them after they married and before they abdicated has H frowning and M smiling at the nearest camera. It was pretty sickening to watch.

I honestly did like her in the beginning. She's a Class A Narcissist.

Oakley, point well taken, it was a long day for a four year old.

The comments on Louis' behaviour riles me. Good lord - he is 4 years old! Thumbing his nose (which is the equivalent to sticking your tongue out where I grew up) and shusshing his mom are pretty typical 4 year old behaviour. I wonder if any of the critics have had their 4-year-olds' behaviour televised? My daughters were good kids but they certainly had their moments. Lets give the little guy and his Mom a break.

Families and expectations vary drastically across cultures and sub cultures.

At an early age kids know when they can act up and get away with it. I lost count of the times we had to leave a restaurant because my daughter was being impossible. But we weren't royals with eyes on us and critiquing us online and everywhere else. I thought Louis was being a pill but Kate was stuck. It must have been a long day for everyone.

Four days of various activities. Exhausting for sure.

My oldest son was still napping in the afternoon at 4 and heaven help everyone if he missed it. He was a very high energy kid. Age appropriate outings are so child dependent. Some kids can take all outings in their stride and changes in routine while others simply can't.

It's too bad he wasn't allowed to make an appearance at the events that might have held more interest for him, then whisked away for napping. Interesting that everyone is quick to criticize the mom, but dad's off the hook?

I still havent heard anyone criticize the mom. The father was not present while Louis had his meltdown which is likely why he hasn’t been mentioned. The kid was not in the public eye all that day. He was only included at various points in the day—for example, he was only out on the balcony for the singing of God Save the Queen, not for the entire time. Other activities he did not participate in at all. I think they overestimated his endurance. And the contemptuous gesture was not the only problem; he repeatedly tried to slap his mother’s face. YMMV, but in our families this would have been considered problem behavior in a kid aged four. Two, yes. Maybe even at three years, but not four, particularly since we assume he has been brought up in a loving, non violent home.

It will be interesting see how Louis progresses.

I think much is asked of the royal children.

Their dad, William, was sitting on the other side of the kids. He did try to calm Louis while still maintaining some dignity. Louis finally got up, walked in front of the seats and sat on Charles lap. Louis did not slap his mother, he put his hand on her mouth. Kids do this when they know they are going to hear something they don't want to hear.

The program was 2.5 hours long, an awfully long time for a four year old to stay still. I thought Kate handled the situation very well.

I did not watch the festivities, but this thread has been very interesting! I did see some of the play-back clips of Louis, who seemed to be the star of the show! He is adorable and I would guess, perhaps a bit spoiled. I got the impression of a mischievous little boy. I'm sure these were long days for him with no naps. He probably saw right off the crowd enjoyed his little "shows", which usually means the child will only continue.

Tina, I totally agree.

Louis certainly did attempt to slap his mother. It appears that he connected just as she caught his hand at her cheek. In my opinion, no matter the circumstances, even the attempt is entirely unacceptable from any child at any age.

He also put his hand over his mother’s mouth.

I was at a wedding last weekend, and during the reception, the music was loud, lights were flashing... I became anxious and removed myself from the stimuli for a while to calm down. I bet this little guy was feeling the same in that situation, but didn't have the skills to manage it at 4 years old. His daily life is probably very calm compared to that scene.

Personally, I think this would have been a wonderful opportunity for someone like Camilla to say, "Come, dear, let's go find some lemonade" and remove him from all that stimuli. Trying to control a child in that situation creates a lot of negative energy in everyone.

ETA, if you find a video that has sound, you'll see there was music BLARING. This child also had a strong reaction to the planes overhead while standing on the balcony. He seems to be sensitive to noise. His behavior seems a reactive mechanism of self-protection. I wouldn't consider him misbehaving, but rather misunderstood.

I agree with Tina. Louis seems to be a little boy who knows that his antics entertain, so of course he's going to seize every opportunity. And some kids gleefully cross the line of acceptable behavior because it has drawn chuckles from the adults in the past. Every child is different. I was angelic, as was the brother who came along after me. When the youngest arrived, however, had he not looked so much like us we would've sworn he'd appeared out of nowhere, borne of wolves. He was the child who angrily shouted the one bad word he knew at age 2 ("doo-doo!") in church. He was a constant source of naughtiness, but it was often amusing. As a middle-aged man, he retains a quirky and fun sense of humor, and remains one who marches to the beat of his own drum.

I'm not at all shocked by the behavior of little Louis and see him as a perfectly normal child, albeit a child who is perhaps a bit more willful and dramatic than others.

Feathers, under ordinary circumstances, maybe they could have removed Louis, but with all eyes watching, that just was not an option.

Sure it was. Instead, he will forever be labeled.

Louis reminds me of our child on the autism spectrum. Our child, now grown up, would do things like that under noisy or chaotic conditions. Even in a small setting, if one of the people was loud or boistrous, or there was a lot of loud music or engines, she would cover her ears and or eyes.

It can be unraveling to children with sensory issues to be in a situation such as the Jubilee for the Queen. They experience the world much different from those not on the spectrum.

I'm sure that under different circumstances, the mom or dad would have taken Louis aside and explained that we don't behave like this in public. It's time to settle down now, then later we can go to a quiet place after we get done with this event we all must attend.

I made it a point to explain to our child when she got a little older than Louis is now, that even though this event with it's noises, smells, and tactile stimulation is upsetting, you have to behave properly while in the setting and I expect that of you. I'm sure Kate and William would do the same if the eyes of the world weren't glued to them that day. They had to look royal, even though their kid was being a kid.

I'd cut Kate some slack. I've seen worse in the grocery store or dining businesses. Kids can be onery; much of the time due to what they've had to deal with during their day, sometimes without a nap.

The domestication process for some young people takes a little bit more time than for others. I tend to think Louis was expressing how he was feeling and hasn't learned yet how to keep that to himself. He is only four. Not all humans can keep their Emily Post manners going all day at age 4. Perhaps he takes after his uncle Harry too. I seem to remember Harry being somewhat, er, um, let's just call it immature around the same age. ;^)

In the video I saw where it might have looked like he was trying to slap his mom’s face, it was right after he put his hand over her mouth and she pulled it down. He then raised his other hand in what I think was an efffort to place it over her mouth. Certainly not acceptable but very different from an attempted slap to me.

Sure it was. Instead, he will forever be labeled.

I worry you may be right about that, and it could become self reinforcing as he ages.

I have to ask, why would Louis be "forever labeled." This is a four year old, over stimulated, asked to sit still for too long, having a tantrum: it was never going to end well, but there would be nothing notable about it except for the circumstances.

The person who handled young Louis best seems to have been his grandfather, who bounced Louis on his lap to the rhythm of a passing band in the parade. Made me rethink my opinions of Charles and his supposed lack of warmth.