Princess Charlotte Elizabeth Diana Christened in Front of Royal Family, Godparents
The princess was seen in public for the first time since her May birth.
— -- Princess Charlotte Elizabeth Diana was christened today in a ceremony at St. Mary Magdalene Church on the Sandringham estate of her great-grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II.
The 2-month-old daughter of Prince William and Princess Kate arrived to the church in a stroller pushed by Kate.
The family was greeted by well-wishers who had gathered outside the church to see the fourth-in-line to the British throne.
Kate then picked up Charlotte to carry her inside.
William held George's hand as they entered and left the church, and George at one point waved to the crowds.
Charlotte, born May 2 in London, wore the same christening gown worn by her big brother, Prince George, at his christening. The gown, remade by the queen's dresser, Angela Kelly, in 2008, is an exact replica of the gown first commissioned by Queen Victoria 174 years ago and has been used for every generation of royal infants.
Duchess Kate wore a white Alexander McQueen ensemble to the ceremony, while Prince George sported a white shirt with red shorts.
The queen wore a rose Angela Kelly dress and hat.
Joining the family for Princess Charlotte’s christening were the queen, Prince Charles and Camilla, and Kate’s family, siblings Pippa and James, and her parents, Carole and Michael Middleton.
Charlotte’s uncle, Prince Harry, missed the christening because he is spending the summer in Africa.
Also in attendance were Charlotte’s godparents and their spouses.
Prince William and Princess Kate announced Princess Charlotte's five godparents this weekend: Princess Diana's niece, The Hon. Laura Fellowes; Kate's cousin, Adam Middleton; and three of the couple's friends: Sophie Carter, James Meade and Thomas van Straubenzee.
Van Straubenzee, William's best childhood friend, shared best man duties with Harry at William's wedding.
The invited guests celebrated the christening in a place of special significance to Princess Charlotte’s paternal grandmother, the late Princess Diana, who was baptized in the same church in 1961. In choosing St. Mary Magdalene Church for Charlotte’s christening, Prince William and Kate made a poignant nod to William’s mother, as they did when they selected their daughter's name, Princess Charlotte Elizabeth Diana.
St. Mary Magdalene Church is also the parish church of the queen on the Sandringham estate and is where the royal family spends Christmas every year.
The church is also close to Anmer Hall, the 10-bedroom home also on the queen’s Sandringham estate, where William, Kate, Charlotte and her big brother, Prince George, have been spending most of their time since Charlotte’s May 2 birth.
The Most Rev. Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury, who also presided over Prince George's christening, conducted the ceremony.
Princess Charlotte was baptized with water from the River Jordan poured from the priceless silver "Lily Font," which is housed in the Tower of London with the rest of the crown jewels. The silver baptism bowl is 17-inches high and 16-inches wide, decorated with gilded lilies and ivy and was commissioned by Queen Victoria in 1840.
It is supported by the lily-shaped stem, which gives the font its name, on a bed of acanthus leaves. The scrolled sides of the high base are decorated with three cherubs playing lyres, and the royal arms of Queen Victoria and the joint arms of Queen Victoria and Albert Prince Consort.
A gold-jeweled Bible, with more than 500 sapphires, rubies and opals, an early-1900s gift from the American Wanamaker family, is also housed inside the queen's local church on the Sandringham estate.
The queen also held a champagne tea party for the family and godparents after the christening.
Documenting the historical day for the royal family was Mario Testino, the world-renowned photographer whom William and Kate tapped to take the official photographs of the christening party.
Testino, 60, photographed the engagement photos for Princess Kate and Prince William, and was also chosen by the late Princess Diana selected to photograph her for Vanity Fair.