Archie Harrison's christening is here! Exactly two months after his birth, baby Sussex was baptized in a private chapel at Windsor Castle. At first glance, it seems similar to the christening of Archie's cousins, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, but there are actually some key differences between them. After all, it shouldn't be a surprise that Meg and Harry are doing things their own way.
Prince George's Christening
Date: October 23, 2013
Location: The Chapel Royal, St James's Palace
The Details: George was christened by The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Reverend Justin Welby and was the first to wear the replica of Queen Victoria's christening gown (you can read more on the history of it here). Charlotte and Louis also wore the same gown at their christenings.
Princess Charlotte's Christening
Date: July 5, 2015
Location: The Church of St Mary Magdalene, Sandringham
The Details: Kate and Will walked from Sandringham House to the church with George and Charlotte, giving royal fans even more opportunities to witness extra cute candid moments, like George peering over Charlotte's stroller.
Prince Louis' Christening
Date: July 9, 2018
Location: The Chapel Royal, St James's Palace
The Details: The Queen did not attend Prince Louis' christening last year. (No word on exactly why she didn't attend with her husband, Prince Philip, but it was reportedly agreed upon months before.) Like his siblings, Prince Louis was christened by The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Reverend Justin Welby.
Archie Harrison's Christening
Date: July 6, 2019
Location: A private chapel at Windsor Castle
The Details: As mentioned above, Meghan and Harry have chosen to have a private ceremony for baby Archie. The Queen was not in attendance, and the guest list was reportedly limited to 25 people. Meghan and Harry released two official photos from the milestone on Instagram shortly after the ceremony.
After Archie's top secret christening, royal commentator Omid Scobie revealed some insider details on Twitter, including that he was baptized over the silver leaf Lily Font using water from the River Jordan by Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, that members of the St. George Chapel Choir sang during the intimate ceremony, and that Archie's still-secret godparents were among the guests.
"Baby Mountbatten-Windsor is wearing a handmade replica of the Royal Christening Robe, made by Angela Kelly (dressmaker to The Queen), which was also worn by all three Cambridge children for their baptisms," Scobie wrote of Archie's christening gown.
So precious!
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Rachel Epstein is an editor at Marie Claire, where she writes and edits culture, politics, and lifestyle stories ranging from op-eds to profiles to ambitious packages. She also manages the site’s virtual book club, #ReadWithMC. Offline, she’s likely watching a Heat game, finding a new coffee shop, or analyzing your cousin's birth chart—in no particular order.
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