Prince Harry and wife Meghan Markle have shared two beautiful photos from baby Archie’s christening, which took place earlier today.
The official photographs were taken in the Green Drawing Room at Windsor Castle – the same place the Duke and Duchess of Sussex posed for pictures after their May 2018 wedding.
The first shot, shared to their Sussex Royal Instagram account, shows the Duke and Duchess with Archie and the family – including Meghan’s mum Doria Ragland, Prince Charles, Camilla, Prince William, and his wife Catherine.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BzlHhZylvwT/
The second picture is a gorgeous black and white shot of the Duke and Duchess with Archie.
Meghan looked radiant in white, while Kate stunned in pink.
They revealed details of the day alongside the snap.
The Archbishop of Canterbury officiated the service in Private Chapel at Windsor Castle and Archie was wearing a handmade replica of the royal christening gown.
He followed years of royal tradition by wearing the Honiton lace and white satin robe first used at the christening of James, Viscount Severn in 2008.
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It is a replica of the intricate lace and satin christening gown made for Queen Victoria’s eldest daughter that was used for all royal baptisms until Lady Louise Windsor’s in 2004.
It was created by the Queen’s dresser Angela Kelly, and worn by Archie’s cousins Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis – the children of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
In another traditional move, the water the Archbishop of Canterbury used to baptise Archie in Windsor Castle’s Private Chapel was said to be holy water taken from the River Jordan.
The ornate Lily Font will also have been used during the ceremony – it has been used in royal christenings since 1841 and was commissioned by Queen Victoria.
Prince Harry’s christening was also celebrated by his family in the Green Drawing Room.
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During the ceremony, members of the St George’s Chapel Choir reportedly sung for the royal family.
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The Queen was unable to attend the christening as she has prior commitments.
After spending the week in Scotland, she will be at Sandringham with her husband Prince Philip, who has retired from royal duties.
The new parents also reportedly decided against selecting celebrity godparents for young Archie, instead turning to a trusted group of “close and old friends”.
It’s thought Meghan’s friend Benita Litt and Harry’s childhood mentor Mark Dyer have taken on the roles.
Meghan is godmother to Benita’s two daughters, Remi and Rylan. The pair were bridesmaids at Harry and Meghan’s wedding.
And, while the public have hinted that Meghan is behind the decision to keep the christening private, sources have told The Sun that it is, in fact, Prince Harry who is determined to keep his son out of the spotlight.
A source said: “People might think Meghan is responsible for this whole privacy thing but it is Harry leading the charge. He wants Archie to be a private citizen in every way possible.”
PR expert Mark Borkowski added: “This is what you’d expect a Hollywood A-lister to do — be antagonist to the traditional system and not engaging with media in any way.”
He said: “It is certainly a declaration that they’ll go to any lengths to protect their privacy.”
However, the social media savvy pair will release new images of the tot to celebrate his big day.
A Buckingham Palace spokesperson revealed: “The Duke and Duchess of Sussex look forward to sharing some images taken on the day by photographer Chris Allerton.”
Allerton took the couple’s wedding photographs and was also responsible for the first pictures of baby Archie, taken at Windsor Castle.
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