NEED TO KNOW<\/p>\n
A recent revelation about Prince Louis<\/a>‘ interest in conkers led to a possible royal role \u2014 and a comical pass on the offer.\n<\/p>\n On Oct. 15, The Telegraph<\/a> reported that Prince William<\/a> and Kate Middleton<\/a> declined the World Conker Championships’ offer for Prince Louis, 7, to become the event’s honorary patron.\n<\/p>\n The idea reportedly amused Kensington Palace staff, but the Prince and Princess of Wales politely declined as their youngest son is not a working royal \u2014 and their office shared a witty response.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n “We really appreciate the invitation, but currently, Prince Louis is \u2018conker-trating\u2019 on his studies,” a palace spokesman said, according to the outlet.\n<\/p>\n Conkers after falling from a horse chestnut tree.<\/p>\n Geoffrey Swaine\/Shutterstock\u00a0<\/p>\n Conkers are the seeds of horse chestnut trees that fall during autumn and the key piece of a children’s game of the same name that involves knocking two together to break the weaker seed.\n<\/p>\n The World Conker Championships offered Louis an honorary job after Princess Kate recently revealed her son’s obsession<\/a> with collecting them.\n<\/p>\n The Princess of Wales, 43, made the revelation during her Scouts outing<\/a> with first lady Melania Trump<\/a> at Frogmore Gardens in Windsor on Sept. 18. There, Princess Kate told Chief Scout Dwayne Fields that Prince Louis was avidly gathering conkers \u2014 and hiding them around the house.\n<\/p>\n “We keep finding conkers in cupboards, in his bed \u2013 conkers everywhere!” Princess Kate said, Hello! magazine<\/a> reported.\n<\/p>\n Kate Middleton, Melania Trump and Dwayne Fields in Windsor on Sept. 18, 2025.<\/p>\n NATHAN HOWARD\/POOL\/AFP via Getty<\/p>\n The royal mom added that Prince Louis even puts the conkers in his trucks to play with them, and he’s not the only royal family member who believes in the seeds.\n<\/p>\n The latest iteration of the annual World Conker Championships was held on Oct. 12 in Southwick, Northamptonshire, and the tournament was made possible due to\u00a0King Charles<\/a>.\n<\/p>\n According to organizers, Windsor Castle sent a package of over 300 chestnuts to help ensure the event could go on, The Telegraph<\/a> reported. A dry summer meant that large conkers were in short supply, and there were concerns in the run-up that the event would have to be canceled, but championship committee member St. John Burkett said the royal delivery saved the day.\n<\/p>\n Queen Camilla, King Charles and Prince Louis at Trooping the Colour on June 14, 2025.<\/p>\n Chris Jackson\/Getty\u00a0<\/p>\n “The Windsor Castle delivery was of really good quality. They were fantastic, they were the ones that really ensured we could go ahead,” he told The Telegraph, explaining that the donation had been “picked from the castle grounds and sent via the public relations department.”\n<\/p>\n “Intriguingly, we don\u2019t know who picked them but like to imagine it might have been the King, at least for a few,” Burkett speculated.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n The elimination rounds of the World Conker Championships on Oct. 12, 2025 in Sotuhwick, Northamptonshire.<\/p>\n Martin Pope\/Getty<\/p>\n