Disclosure: Birmingham Weekly may earn a commission if you buy through retailer links on this page. That never decides what we pick or how we rank it. The prices below are UK price bands from when we wrote this piece, and retailers change them often, especially during Wimbledon fortnight and Black Friday. Check the live price before you buy.
In July 2019 the tennis great Stan Smith gave the then Duchess of Cambridge a tiny pair of his signature Adidas trainers for Prince Louis, who was 15 months old. The royal pages called it “priceless”, and they’re right, because you can’t buy it. You can buy the shoe it was based on, plus a handful of tennis-themed gifts that suit a baby or toddler better than a celebrity keepsake. This guide covers those.
Best Prince Louis Wimbledon gift picks at a glance
| Pick | Best for | Typical UK price band | Size range | Where to look |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adidas Stan Smith (infant, hook-and-loop) | Best overall, “get the look” | About £35–£45 | Infant UK 3K–10K (approx.) | Adidas UK, JD, Office, Schuh, John Lewis |
| White leather-look Velcro trainers (own-brand) | Best budget | About £12–£25 | Infant 2–10 | Next, M&S, Clarks outlet, supermarket clothing ranges |
| Soft-sole baby shoes or tennis-print babygrow | Newborns and pre-walkers | About £10–£30 | 0–24 months | Independent baby shops, department stores |
| Mini racket and foam ball set | Tennis-fan families, ages 2+ | About £10–£30 | Toddler rackets of about 17–19 inches | Sports Direct, Decathlon, Argos |
| Official Wimbledon baby and kids merchandise | Souvenir or christening gift | About £15–£50 | Varies by item | Wimbledon Shop (online and at the grounds) |
| Personalised keepsake box or framed print | Best splurge or keepsake | About £30–£80 | Not applicable | Independent makers, personalisation sites |
Quick answer: the best overall pick is infant Adidas Stan Smith trainers with hook-and-loop straps. For a budget, go for an own-brand white Velcro trainer. For a splurge, choose a personalised keepsake. If the child isn’t walking yet, the best non-shoe gift is a tennis-print babygrow or soft-sole shoes.
The story behind the gift
On 14 July 2019, Kate watched the Wimbledon men’s singles final from the Royal Box. That was the five-hour Djokovic–Federer match. Stan Smith, who won Wimbledon in 1972, handed her a pair of toddler Stan Smiths in the classic white with green heel tab, with Velcro straps instead of laces.
The reports don’t all agree on the inscription. Hello! and Marie Claire described a pair signed “To Louis”. When Smith spoke to GQ in 2021, he remembered writing a slightly longer dedication from himself. Both versions agree on the main facts: it was a personal, signed, one-off pair, and it was never sold. Anyone selling “the Prince Louis pair” or a “signed royal edition” is misleading you.
The appeal lies in the details: a classic shoe with a bit of personal history behind it. That’s also why the commercial version makes a good gift. If you like royal and celebrity style breakdowns, our look at Uma Jammeh’s Hello! Fashion cover styling goes into that kind of detail.
How we chose
We wrote this guide independently of the news pages that rank for this topic, using brand sizing charts, retailer listings and standard UK children’s footwear advice. Every pick had to meet six criteria:
- Fit and safety: a flexible sole, adjustable fastening and no small detachable parts for under-3s.
- Materials: breathable uppers and linings that cope with a toddler’s sweaty feet.
- Price: at least one strong option under £25.
- UK stock: sold by at least two mainstream UK retailers, so you aren’t relying on one sold-out listing.
- Gift appeal: it has to look like a present, not a school-shoe errand.
- Returns: exchanges are easy, because toddler sizes are a guessing game when you’re buying for someone else’s child.
Best Prince Louis Wimbledon gift by use case
Best overall: Adidas Stan Smith infant trainers (hook-and-loop)
This is the closest you can get to the royal gift: the same silhouette, the green heel tab and the Velcro straps. Adidas sells infant versions in roughly UK 3K–10K, usually for about £35–£45. Recent versions have been sold under Adidas’s “Primegreen” or recycled-content labels, and some use a leather-look synthetic rather than real leather, so read the product description if that matters to you.
The trade-off: the sole is stiffer than a dedicated first-walker shoe. These suit confident walkers, roughly 15 months and up, as Louis was. They aren’t right for a baby who is still cruising round the furniture.
Best budget: own-brand white Velcro trainers
Next, M&S and the big supermarket clothing ranges all sell clean white Velcro trainers that give you about 80% of the look for under half the price. Pick one with a contrast heel tab if you want the Stan Smith nod. Toddlers often outgrow a pair in three to four months, so this is the sensible buy for a child who is growing fast.
Best splurge or keepsake: personalised gifts
To recreate the “To Louis” idea, buy the trainers and add something personal: an engraved keepsake box, a framed print of the child’s first shoe outline, or a hand-written card tucked inside. We’d steer clear of “signed” tennis memorabilia unless it comes with a certificate from a recognised authenticator. Fakes are common, particularly around Wimbledon fortnight.
Best for a tennis-fan family: mini racket set or official merchandise
From about age two, a short toddler racket (around 17–19 inches) and oversized foam balls are a better gift than shoes, because they get played with rather than grown out of. For a souvenir, the official Wimbledon Shop sells baby and kids’ clothing, soft toys and branded tennis balls. These items have the Championships’ purple and green branding, which a generic “tennis” product can’t match.
Best for newborns and pre-walkers
Babies don’t need structured shoes before they walk, and UK podiatry advice says bare feet or soft soles are better while the foot develops. For a christening or first-birthday gift, choose soft leather or fabric soft-sole shoes, or a tennis-print babygrow and bib set. They’re cheaper, and you don’t have to guess a shoe size.
Sizing, materials and care
How to size toddler trainers
- Measure the foot standing up, heel against a wall, at the end of the day when feet are slightly larger.
- Add about 1–1.5cm of growth room, roughly a parent’s thumb-width beyond the longest toe.
- Check against the brand’s own chart. Adidas infant sizes don’t always match Clarks or Start-rite.
- If you’re buying for someone else’s child, go half a size up and include a gift receipt.
As a rough guide, UK infant 4 is about EU 20, UK 5 is about EU 21–22, and UK 6 is about EU 23. Always use the retailer’s chart for the actual shoe.
Velcro vs laces
Under about age four, Velcro wins every time. It’s faster, it stays done up, and a child can start fastening it themselves. Laces on a toddler shoe come undone and become a trip hazard. That’s why the royal pair had straps.
Leather vs synthetic
Real leather breathes better and lasts longer, but at infant sizes the shoe rarely lasts longer than the foot fits it. A good synthetic or recycled upper is a reasonable choice, easier to wipe clean and usually cheaper.
Keeping white trainers white
- Wipe the uppers with a damp cloth and a drop of mild washing-up liquid. Use a soft toothbrush on the sole edges.
- Don’t put them in the washing machine. Heat can weaken the glue and warp the sole.
- Stuff them with kitchen roll and let them dry at room temperature, away from radiators.
- If they’re being kept as a keepsake, store them in a breathable cotton bag, not plastic, to avoid yellowing.
Price and availability in the UK
Infant Stan Smiths usually cost about £35–£45 at full price from Adidas UK and the major sports and shoe retailers. Older colourways often drop to £25–£30 in the January and summer sales. Demand for white trainers goes up before Wimbledon in late June and early July, so popular sizes can sell out then. If you’re buying for a summer birthday, buy in May.
Most big UK retailers offer free returns or exchanges within 28–30 days. Check this before you buy, because toddler sizing goes wrong more often than not. Be wary of marketplace listings that say “royal edition” or “as gifted to Prince Louis”. No such product exists.
For more on celebrity families and the gifts and milestones fans follow, see our guide to Davina McCall’s children and family life.
FAQs
What gift did Prince Louis get at Wimbledon?
On 14 July 2019, tennis legend Stan Smith gave Kate a pair of toddler Adidas Stan Smith trainers for Prince Louis. They were white and green with Velcro straps and personally signed. Hello! and Marie Claire reported an inscription reading “To Louis”. Smith later recalled a slightly longer dedication in a 2021 GQ interview.
Which Prince Louis Wimbledon gift option is best overall?
Infant Adidas Stan Smith trainers with hook-and-loop straps are the best overall pick. They’re the closest match to the royal pair and usually cost about £35–£45 in the UK. They suit confident walkers from roughly 15 months.
Which is best on a budget?
Own-brand white Velcro trainers from high-street retailers such as Next or M&S give a similar look for about £12–£25. For pre-walkers, a tennis-print babygrow or soft-sole shoes cost even less and are better for the feet.
How should toddler trainers be sized and cared for?
Measure the standing foot at the end of the day and add about 1–1.5cm of growth room. Then check the brand’s own size chart. To clean white trainers, wipe them with a damp cloth and mild soap, scrub the soles with a soft brush, and let them air-dry away from radiators. Don’t machine-wash them.
Can I buy the exact signed pair Prince Louis received?
No. It was a personal, one-off gift and has never been sold. Anything sold as a “royal edition” or “as gifted to Prince Louis” is not genuine. You can buy the standard infant Stan Smith and add your own personalised note or keepsake.
Has Prince Louis ever been to Wimbledon?
Prince Louis received his Wimbledon gift in 2019 without attending. Prince George and Princess Charlotte have since joined their parents at Wimbledon finals. Check the latest royal engagement coverage for Louis’s current attendance record, as this can change each Championships.
