Prince William tries to squeeze into Formula E car on Louis’ birthday

Prince William visited the Jaguar TCS Racing Formula E Team in Kidlington, Oxfordshire on Thursday coinciding with his younger son Prince Louis of Wales’s 8th birthday.

The royal was welcomed by team members before beginning his tour in the trophy room, where Jaguar’s growing success in the Formula E Championship was on full display. 

The visit then moved into the heart of operations, where cutting-edge technology and precision engineering power Jaguar’s race-day performance.

William met Portuguese racing star António Félix da Costa, the 2019-20 Formula E World Champion. 

The driver walked him through the details of the car, offering insight into the speed, strategy, and split-second decisions that define the sport.

Then came the moment everyone was waiting for as the Prince climbed into the cockpit himself. 

At 6ft 4in, it wasn’t exactly a seamless fit, but that didn’t stop him from settling behind the wheel and getting a feel for the tight, tech-packed space drivers call home.

One engineer joked that only one of their current drivers, Jake Dennis, comes close in height and even he barely fits. 

Still, William’s willingness to give it a go earned plenty of appreciation, especially given how physically demanding it is just to get in and out of the car.

The visit also tells the broader mission behind Formula E, combining elite motorsport with sustainability and innovation. 

Jaguar TCS Racing has been at the forefront of this push, using racing as a testing ground for electric vehicle technology that can eventually influence everyday road cars.