On Sunday, July 5, 2015, Princess Charlotte of Cambridge will be christened at St. Mary Magdalene Church at Sandringham.
The Princess: Princess Charlotte Elizabeth Diana will be baptized by the Archbishop of Canterbury, who will make the trip to Norfolk especially for the event. Princess Charlotte was born on May 2, 2015 at St. Mary’s Hospital in London.
The Outfit: In 2004, Queen Elizabeth II commissioned royal dressmaker Angela Kelly to recreate the historical christening gown used by Queen Victoria’s children. After 163 years, the original gown was not suitable for any more babies! Thus, a new gown was constructed as an exact replica. First worn by James, Viscount Severn, the christening gown has been using in all royal christenings since, including Prince George, Savannah and Isla Phillips, and most likely Mia Tindall. For George’s christening, Kate chose a cream Alexander McQueen outfit that resembled the ruffles and elegance of the christening gown. We expect a new outfit for Charlotte’s christening, perhaps in blush pink or yellow, and perhaps a new hat.
The Guests: Of course, William, Kate, George and Charlotte will be there. In addition, the guests will include Her Majesty The Queen, Prince Phillip, Prince Charles, Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, Michael and Carole Middleton, Pippa Middleton, and James Middleton. You may note that Prince Harry is missing! He is expected to be on a charity trip in Africa, and will unfortunately miss the joyous occasion. Also in attendance will be Princess Charlotte’s godparents…
The Godparents: Prince George has seven godparents (plus their spouses), and we expect another seven for Princess Charlotte! Godparent may be a roleless-title for some, but these close friends and family will help raise Princess Charlotte and guide her through life. Our guesses are…
- Peter and Autumn Philips, Zara’s brother and his wife
- Tom and Missy van Straubanzee, a longtime friend of William and Catherine’s
- Trinny Foyle, a longtime friend of Kate’s
- Another van Cutsem, perhaps Hugh and Rose, whose daughter, Grace, was a flower girl at the Royal Wedding
- Sarah McCorquodale, Princess Diana’s sister
- Lady Louise or Viscount Severn, the children of the Earl and Countess of Wessex
The Church: St. Mary Magdalene Church is the Church of England on the property of Sandringham, Her Majesty’s country estate. The Royal Family attends Christmas mass at the church every year, and The Queen attends services every Sunday she is in residence at Sandringham. The 16th century church was also the site of Diana, Princess of Wales’ christening in 1961.
The Well-Wishers: Members of the public are invited to greet the Royal Family as they make their way to the church. They are encouraged to bring flowers to the event – all flowers collected at the christening will be donated to East Anglia Children’s Hospices and will be given to children and families using the hospice care services. To attend, please arrive at St. Mary Magdalene Church at 3PM.
The Reception: All the guests will attend a low-key reception at Sandringham, rumored to be an afternoon tea-style affair. Prince George’s christening was also followed by a similar reception at Clarence House. During the reception, the official christening photographs will be taken by Mario Testino.
Check back on Sunday at 3BT/10ET/7PT for coverage of Princess Charlotte’s christening!
I think George has seven Godparents, not six – They are Oliver Baker, Emilia Jardine-Paterson, Earl Grosvenor, Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton, Julia Samuel, William van Cutsem and Zara Tindall.
You are correct! I forgot about Julia Samuel – thanks for letting me know!
The photographer’s name is Mario Testino… not Testing as you have listed.
Whoops – an obvious autocorrect error! I have fixed it, thanks.