If you’ve ever been to a Louis show, you likely remember how loud everyone screams the line “come so far from Princess Park” in his song, Habit. And if you were lucky enough to be at the LTWT Philly show (like I was), when he had the crowd sing that line back to him, you know just how aware Louis is of the fact that we love that line. But what makes this line so special?
To start, let’s go back to the year 2011. It was announced in September of that year that all five boys would be moving into apartments in Princess Park Manor. However, while Niall, Liam, and Zayn would all be getting their own apartments, Harry and Louis were going to be moving in together. This fact was surprising to absolutely no one as this was still at the peak of Larry being insufferably adorable and attached at the hip constantly. Additionally, as there so often is, there was an explanation that allowed for plausible deniability. Harry and Louis weren’t living together because they were dating, it was just because Harry was the only one of the boys that still wasn’t 18…nevermind that still doesn’t really explain why he couldn’t have his own apartment or why he couldn’t live with one of the other boys. Now, according to the official story, this arrangement was short-lived as Harry supposedly moved out of their shared apartment only a few months later in February 2012 with the flat being reported to be up for sale in March of that year. Despite these reports, rumors persisted that Harry and Louis were still living together. However, it wasn’t long before the boys were embarking on the Up All Night Tour so their permanent address(es) was somewhat irrelevant as they were living together on tour buses and in hotel rooms.
So what? Harry and Louis lived together for a few months. Who cares? Well, Louis certainly cared. On October 24, 2011, as a way to promote their new album, Louis tweeted “Hello everyone, just bought my copy of the album with my love’s face on #welivetogetherdealwithit” and included a picture of the version of the album with just Harry on the cover. This tweet is still up to this day and this hashtag has become somewhat of a mantra (and a source of breakdowns) over the years for Larries.
Now, with regards to Louis choosing to reference Princess Park in the song Habit, there are some who would argue for a platonic explanation that has nothing to do with Harry. Princess Park was the first place the boys lived when they moved away from their families and moved to London. Therefore, it’s possible that Louis is simply referring to how far he has come, both as a member of the band and now also as a solo artist, since the time they were living in those apartments.
However, let’s take a look at the context in which Louis makes this reference.
You’re the habit that I can’t break/You’re the feelin’ I can’t put down/You’re the shiver that I can’t shake/You’re the habit that I can’t break/You’re the high that I need right now/ You’re the habit that I can’t break
While there are, of course, different ways that one can interpret these lyrics, Louis hasn’t exactly been forthcoming with an explanation. The majority consensus seems to be that the song is talking about a long-term relationship. While there is a certain stunt that could be defined as a long-term relationship, it wouldn’t make sense for the song to be about the relationship given the reference to Princess Park. The only person Louis lived with at Princess Park is Harry. Thus, if he is talking about a long-term relationship that goes back to living in Princess Park, the only logical conclusion is that the song is referring to Harry.
I took some time ‘cause I’ve run out of energy/Of playing someone I heard I’m supposed to be/But honestly, I don’t have to choose anymore
These lyrics, which directly precede the Princess Park line, refer to Louis having to hide a certain part of himself. Louis has always been a very genuine person, so what could he be referring to having to hide? Having to publicly deny who you are and who you love can be draining for anyone and I can only imagine that stress is compounded by the added pressure of doing so on a worldwide stage. And yet, despite all the stress and challenges, these boys still managed to come so far from all those years ago living at Princess Park.
Clearly, this line is very important to Louis and, as a result, to us as fans. His experiences at Princess Park, and during that time in general, helped shape who he is as a person and an artist today. That’s why we make an extra effort to shout those lyrics to him as a sign of how much we see and support him. Whether we will have the opportunity to continue seeing this line with Louis during the upcoming tour is yet to be seen, but the important thing to remember is, as Louis said so well, #welivetogetherdealwithit.
