The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s son, Archie Mountbatten-Windsor, was christened in the private chapel at Windsor Castle this morning. The ceremony was officiated by the Archbishop of Canterbury before 25 guests making up the couple’s closest friends and family. The Queen wasn’t able to attend due to a long-standing commitment with the Duke of Edinburgh at Sandringham, however the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall made it back from their week of engagements in Wales.
I read somewhere this week that the christening was originally planned for Thursday, but when the couple realized both the Queen and Charles would be out of town, they moved the date for Saturday to accommodate Charles. Je ne sais pas.
Official photos were taken by Chris Allerton, the same photographer who took the couple’s official wedding photos last year. In the same vein, they also posed in the same venue – the Castle’s green drawing room. In addition to the Sussexes, the group picture features Charles, Camilla, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Doria Ragland (Meghan’s mother), Lady Sarah McCorquodale, and Lady Jane Fellowes (Diana, Princess of Wales’s sisters).
Meghan is wearing a custom-made, white dress by Dior – its cut appears to be along the lines of the navy Dior dress she wore last summer at the RAF centenary. We don’t get a great look at it from these photos, but from what we can see, I like it.
Kate is wearing a pink dress by Stella McCartney that royal watchers noted looks very similar to what we saw of her Christmas luncheon ensemble last December. This whole look is working for me, mainly because of the red hatband and shoes (Juliette Botterill and Emmy London, respectively), but she looks great in this photo.
As for guests, we can safely assume Meghan’s two friends who attended Wimbledon with her on Thursday were there. We also know that William and Harry’s former nanny, Tiggy Pettifer, was there.
Archie was christened in the Royal Family’s lily font. It was commissioned by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert for the christening of their eldest daughter, Victoria, the Princess Royal, who later became Empress of Germany (married to Frederick III). Archie also wore a replica of the same Honiton lace christening gown used by Princess Victoria. That gown was used by all of Queen Victoria’s children, and all subsequent royal babies until 2007 when it was deemed too delicate for use.
As such, the Earl and Countess of Wessex’s daughter, Lady Louise, born in 2004, was the last to use the original gown, and their son, the Viscount Severn, was the first to wear the replica. The Cambridge children all wore the replica.
That’s all for now – I’ll update if any more relevant details come through. In the meantime, happy weekend!