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King’s coronation: Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis hold hands as youngest royals attend Westminster Abbey service
The youngest members of the Royal Family were given a front-row seat to their grandfather’s coronation.
Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, the children of the Prince and Princess of Wales, were all in attendance during the ceremony to crown King Charles III.
The first glimpse of the youngest members of the Royal Family came as some arrived in a car outside the doors of Westminster Abbey.
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Prince Louis arrived in a car with his parents
Prince Louis, aged just five, peered out the car window and gave a tiny wave to the crowds, looking intrigued by the pageantry on display.
He then walked down the aisle of the abbey holding hands with his sister, Princess Charlotte, aged eight, both behind their parents as they made their way to their front-row seats.
The Wales family walk down the aisle of Westminster Abbey
Prince George, the second in line to the throne, arrived separately from the rest of the family, as he was a page of honour for his grandfather, carrying the train down the aisle.
The appearance of the youngest prince will have delighted royal watchers. The cheeky royal is known for his enigmatic facial expressions, stealing the show for the flypast at the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee last summer.
He was not in attendance at the Queen’s funeral because he was just four years old at the time, and it was thought the service would not be suitable for such a young child.
During the coronation, the prince was spotted speaking with his older sister, who seemed to be looking after him during the hours-long ceremony.
As well as peering at the grand ceiling, he was also seen giving out the odd yawn.
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Watch as Charles is crowned King
He did seem to disappear from the abbey before the end of the ceremony – no longer appearing between his parents after the coronation service reached the 90-minute mark.
He returned around 25 minutes later, just in time to join in singing the National Anthem, belting out all the words alongside his sister.
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What role is Prince George playing?
The second in line to the throne has a special role to play at the coronation, having been selected as one of eight pages of honour.
The King and Queen Consort were each be attended by four pages, who form part of the coronation procession and help carry the monarch’s robes.
Read more:
Who are the pages of honour?
Smiling Prince Louis celebrates fifth birthday
Princess Charlotte pictured with family dog on birthday
Prince George (centre) and King Charles III outside Westminster Abbey
The children chosen for the ceremonial role all have close connections to the Royal Family – by blood or longstanding friendship.
The Queen Consort reportedly wanted her grandchildren to play significant roles, even though their parents are the children from her marriage to her first husband, Andrew Parker Bowles.