Prince Charles’ ‘Utterly Charming’ Moment with Prince Louis Showed His Sweet Side as a Grandpa

“When you consider that he has been said to be a remote parent, to see him do that was charming,” a palace insider tells PEOPLE

Prince Charles and Prince Louis at the Platinum Jubilee.Credit : Chris Jackson – WPA Pool/Getty

Prince Charles’ sweet bond with his grandson Prince Louis was on full display during Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations earlier this month.

At the Platinum Jubilee Pageant on June 5, 4-year-old Prince Louis went viral for his adorable antics, from making faces at mom Kate Middleton to excitedly dancing around while watching the parade pass by in front of Buckingham Palace.

At one point, Prince Louis took turns sitting on the laps of Kate and Prince William before heading over to his grandfather. Prince Charles, 73, bounced Louis on his lap and pointed out elements of the parade.

“How utterly charming that was,” a palace insider tells PEOPLE. “When you consider that he has been said to be a remote parent, to see him do that was charming.”

Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Charles and Prince Louis at the Platinum Jubilee.Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty

The source adds that although it is often said that Kate’s parents, Carole and Michael Middleton, are the grandparents the children are close to (and they certainly spent a lot of time with them), “it was lovely to see his other grandfather enjoying time with him too.”

Prince Charles and Prince Louis seem to share a special bond. When Louis turned 2 in 2020, Prince Charles marked the occasion by sharing a never-before-seen moment with his grandson. The black-and-white image shared on the Clarence House social media accounts showed Charles holding Louis with their arms wrapped around each other in a tight embrace.

In an extra sweet touch, the photo was captured by Kate.

And in an outtake of photos released by the royal family to honor the 70th birthday of Prince Charles in Nov. 2018, 7-month-old Louis reaches forward to grab his grandfather’s nose. Charles laughs at the curious baby, while Kate, Prince William, Prince Harry, Meghan Markle and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall look on with smiles. (Meanwhile, older siblings Prince George and Princess Charlotte seem to have their attention focused on something behind the camera!)

The Queen, 96, limited herself to just a few appearances over the four days of Platinum Jubilee festivities due to her ongoing mobility issues and “discomfort,” meaning her heir and son Prince Charles took the lead at multiple events. From taking the salute on horseback at Trooping the Colour to leading the tributes at the Platinum Party at the Palace, Charles was in the spotlight.

“[The Queen] sees this as a great opportunity for the transition to be visible,” royal historian Robert Lacey tells PEOPLE.

Prince William, Kate Middleton, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis joined Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles on the Buckingham Palace balcony on June 5.Samir Hussein/WireImage

Adds Sally Bedell Smith, author of Elizabeth the Queen: The Life of a Modern Monarch: “She is in the saddle, but this gets people accustomed to [Charles’s] future role as King. There was a feeling of celebrating the past and anticipating the new era.”