Archie christening photos LIVE: First pictures of royal baby being baptised released from private celebration
Christening takes place at Windsor Castle
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Your support makes all the difference.The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s child, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, was christened in a private ceremony on Saturday 6 July.
The event took place at the Private Chapel in Windsor Castle, the same castle where Prince Harry and Meghan wed on 19 May 2018. According to Buckingham Palace, the royal's christening was a small affair, attended by fewer than 25 people, and the names of his godparents will remain private as per the royal couple’s wishes.
On Saturday afternoon, the palace released two photographs taken by Chris Allerton from the occasion. One image showed just the royal couple and their son while the other was a group shot featuring several members of the royal family. The former was taken in the Rose Garden at Windsor Castle while the latter was taken in the Green Drawing Room.
See how the day unfolded below...
That sussexroyal Instagram post has rapidly climbed to more than 700,000 likes and 11,600 comments.
The royal couple have nearly 9m followers.
Many fans are comparing the christening photos of Harry and his son Archie.
Tourists queuing outside Windsor Castle 'unaware' of christening
A group of tourists lining up to enter Windsor Castle on Saturday were completely unaware that Archie's christening was about to begin inside at the Private Chapel.
One person in the queue told Press Association: "Christening? I had no idea about it. I'm just here to visit the castle, learn about its history and see the trooping of the guard."
When another tourist was asked whether they knew anything about the occasion, they replied: "No, we are just here on vacation. What a lovely day, though. The weather is brilliant."
So here’s what we know about today’s christening:
- Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby baptised the two-month-old using water from the River Jordan and the silver Lily Font, in accordance with royal tradition.
- The silver baptismal Lily Font was commissioned by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert in 1840 and has been a feature of royal christenings since its first use in the christening of their first child Victoria, princess royal.
- Archie was wearing a handmade replica of the Royal Christening Robe. The original, made of fine Honiton lace lined with white satin, was made in 1841 for the christening of Victoria and the present Queen commissioned the replica to order to preserve the original.
- Members of the St George’s Chapel Choir performed at today’s ceremony, during which Meghan wore a Dior dress and Kate wore an outfit by Stella McCartney.
- Fashion photographer Chris Allerton, who also shot the wedding photographs of Harry and Meghan, was “honoured to take the official photographs at the christening”.
- Meghan’s mother Doria Ragland, Harry’s brother William and his wife Kate, and the sisters of the late Diana, Princess of Wales, Lady Jane Fellowes, Lady Sarah McCorquodale, were there and featured in the family photo released afterwards.
- The main thing we do not know is the names of Archie’s godparents, which the couple have chosen not to release.
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