The service was conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Reverend Justin Welby and attended by close family and friends including Prince Charles, the Duchess of Cornwall, Meghan's mother Doria Ragland, Diana's sisters Lady Jane Fellowes and Lady Sarah McCorquodale, and the chosen godparents and their spouses.
Afterwards, two photographs taken by Chris Allerton in the Green Drawing Room and the Rose Garden were shared with the message: "The Duke and Duchess are so happy to share the joy of this day with members of the public who have been incredibly supportive since the birth of their son. They thank you for your kindness in welcoming their first born and celebrating this special moment. Their Royal Highnesses feel fortunate to have enjoyed this day with family and the godparents of Archie."
A closer look at adorable Archie.
Queen Victoria commissioned the small private chapel at Windsor Castle when she ascended to the throne.
During the terrible fire at Windsor Castle in 1992, the chapel was gutted. Hello! reports:
A detailed painting of the interior of the chapel by Alexander Cresswell following the restoration.
Buckingham Palace shared details of the traditional christening ahead of the event this morning. The baptism took place in the Lily Font with water from the River Jordan.
The silver baptismal font which was commissioned by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert in 1840 after the birth of their first child, Victoria, Princess Royal. It was first used at the Princess Royal’s christening in 1841 and has been a feature of Royal christenings since then.
Archie wore a handmade replica of the royal christening robe, made by Angela Kelly, dressmaker to the Queen. The original Honiton lace and satin robe was last used in 2004, with Lady Louise Windsor being the last royal baby to wear the piece. After years of wear it had become too fragile to use, so in 2008 Her Majesty commissioned a replica. It features the same length skirt, elaborate collars and bow as its predecessor. The first baby to wear it was was James, Viscount Severn, son of the Earl and Countess of Wessex. As you can see it's pristine, with striking attention to detail.
More from the Royal Collection Trust:
Prince Louis wore the robe for his St James's Palace christening one year ago.
An overview of Archie's cousins George, Charlotte and Louis wearing the gown.
Queen Victoria commissioned the small private chapel at Windsor Castle when she ascended to the throne.
During the terrible fire at Windsor Castle in 1992, the chapel was gutted. Hello! reports:
'The fire, which broke out on the Queen and Philip's 45th wedding anniversary on November 20 1992, started in the original 19th century private chapel when a workman's spotlight accidentally set a curtain alight. More than 200 firefighters tackled the flames, while staff rushed to remove precious works of art from the path of the fire - forming a human chain which included the Duke of York, who was in the castle at the time.
The original gothic chapel, which was added by Queen Victoria, was irreparablydamaged in the incident. It was later redesigned and relocated from the end of St George's Hall to the more practical position within the area of the old Holbein Room. The new chapel has room for just 30 people, with short rows of red-backed chairs, and is rectangular in shape, rather than the irregular shape of the original.'
A detailed painting of the interior of the chapel by Alexander Cresswell following the restoration.
Buckingham Palace shared details of the traditional christening ahead of the event this morning. The baptism took place in the Lily Font with water from the River Jordan.
The silver baptismal font which was commissioned by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert in 1840 after the birth of their first child, Victoria, Princess Royal. It was first used at the Princess Royal’s christening in 1841 and has been a feature of Royal christenings since then.
Archie wore a handmade replica of the royal christening robe, made by Angela Kelly, dressmaker to the Queen. The original Honiton lace and satin robe was last used in 2004, with Lady Louise Windsor being the last royal baby to wear the piece. After years of wear it had become too fragile to use, so in 2008 Her Majesty commissioned a replica. It features the same length skirt, elaborate collars and bow as its predecessor. The first baby to wear it was was James, Viscount Severn, son of the Earl and Countess of Wessex. As you can see it's pristine, with striking attention to detail.
More from the Royal Collection Trust:
'This is an exact replica of the original royal christening gown, commissioned by Queen Victoria and first used at the christening of her eldest daughter, Princess Victoria, in 1841. The original, made by Janet Sutherland, was made of Spitalfields silk and Honiton lace. It was worn by 62 royal babies including Princess Elizabeth at her christening held here at Buckingham Palace on 26 May 1926.'
Prince Louis wore the robe for his St James's Palace christening one year ago.
An overview of Archie's cousins George, Charlotte and Louis wearing the gown.
The Duchess was pretty in her pink Stella McCartney pleated dress with bow detail.
It's been suggested the dress is the same piece she wore in 2011 for Prince Philip's birthday dinner, however, I think the fabric is different and the hue lighter. (Click here to see images). My guess is the Stella McCartney dress Kate wore today is the same one she chose for the Queen's pre-Christmas luncheon in December.
The Duchess teamed the dress with her Gianvito Rossi pumps.
The talented UFO No More team received confirmation the Duchess wore a custom-made headband by Juliette Botterill. Kate's piece is based on the Pleated Pillbox hat in red.
And in a touching gesture, Kate wore Diana's Collingwood pearl earrings, the same pair the late princess wore for Harry's Windsor christening in 1984.
I thought the red and pink a vibrant and stylish pop of colour for the summer occasion. I know not everyone is a fan of the headbands, but the styling with this look worked particularly well for me, especially with Kate's hair down. All the ladies looked terrific and coordinated in whites/creams and pinks. It was a lovely christening.
For more on the christening, click here to view the full post over on Mad About Meghan.
I love this look on Kate!! I think you are correct that this is not the same dress from Prince Philiip’s birthday party.
ReplyDeleteSorry but I don't agree. I was fan of Kate pre wedding style but this is unfortunately less and less the case. This outfit is far more too conventional for me. Old-fashioned. There is not enough feminity' sensuality in Kate choices. No V collar' every thing is hidden from head to knee. I Don't like the combination of read and pink. Headband is so.... Awful. Make me think of a macaron or of impératrice sissi way of putting her hair on top of her head but it was in 1890!!! Kate is not 40 and a young mother. Why is she wearing outfits which may have been selected for the queen? Please Kate be more modern and sexy. Particularly for private occasions ....
DeleteOn the picture of she and William on the drive to Windsor she is wearing something else. Looks light blue, v-neck with details on the sleeves. Maybe a casual outfit and she dressed there or a last minute change.
DeleteLol! I was just thinking how femenine and young her outfit was! While I agree her coat dresses can seem too conventional, I don't think it is the case here and I can't imagine the Queen in that dress.
DeleteWhat a lovely occasion, and Kate is stunning. Absolutely, love the color of the dress! Both Kate's and Dora's dresses are nice compliments to the green shades within the room. Whether or not Kate ignited the trend of these headbands, or just boosted it along, I see them more and more lately. I am a big fan of them and this braided one one is the perfect topper to her outfit, especially as Charlotte states with her hair down, it makes it less formal and seem more of a personal family affair. The color looks good on Kate and she and William are a very handsome couple. William is so so tall and stately!! I think that I like that this was a smaller affair and particularly love that Diana's sisters were in attendance and more importantly in the family photo!! Love that Kate wore Diana's earrings.....the picture of Diana with Harry is bittersweet. Archie is a lovely baby and hope that he is the balm that heals and reminds William and Harry that they are forever bound as brothers and there is really nothing like family. cc
ReplyDeleteI agree that William and Kate look absolutely amazing here. Extremely handsome.
DeleteI thought about that too, CeCe. What a blessing babies bring - even estranged family members are sometimes able to forget mutual animosities and get together around the little one. ( I had in mind Charles and his former sisters-in-law. ) I'm sure Harry can feel very clearly that William and Kate are happy for them and wish them well.
DeleteI love her look today. The complimentary accessories are absolutely perfect!
ReplyDeleteI didn't realize Kate had worn this before, but I'm glad we could see all of it now. I thought she looked just beautiful and I loved everything she wore. I commented on everyone else over at MAM. :)
ReplyDeletePink lovely dress and red shoes - I 've fallen in love with this sophisticated combination. Duchess looked femine,elegant and radiant. I like the way how family was seated. This photo reminds me picture from wedding from the same room. One year ago Kate had the same place.
ReplyDeleteIt is a sophisticated combination! Kate pops in the photo. Stunning against the background.
DeleteThe neck embellishment on Kate's dress does not look like a bow to me,which implies a tie with two ends showing. Someone called it another "pussy" bow," but it looks like more of a flounce to me. Perhaps removable . Similar to the neck flounces worn by men in 18th 19th century, prior to modern day cravats. There is actually a name for them but I can't recall what it is just now. Not "dickie."
ReplyDeleteI agree, not a bow. Are you thinking of jabot? It seems to have started showing up in some runway shows last year.
DeleteBorder Terrier lover :-)
Jabot, I think.
DeleteA jabot 😊
DeleteKate looked absolutely stunning,,, they all looked gorgeous
DeleteYES! Thank-you. Jabot. Fichu crossed my mind but that wasn't right. Then dickie. Sometimes words hover just outside my grasp. Ha!
DeleteThey were popular a hundred years ago, I think, as well as in the early
1930's. I believe they were often detachable. It looks a little as though Kate's may be removable, opposed to a continuation of the neckline as we see in what is called a "pussy bow.".
Anon 20:36
What a lovely dress but I will be very glad when Kate gets over headbands!
ReplyDeleteI agree! Wish she would have chosen the pillbox hat instead (not just the band)
DeleteFirst, I love Duchess Kate's outfit today. She's so Amazing. And that coordinate color work very magnificence. See how is she sitting, like a Queen in-waiting she is. Prince William also looks Handsome. In second fact, the Sussex's Family Prince Harry, Duchess Meghan and Baby Archie look Fabulous. Mister Archie is cute, Beautiful. The photos are sweet. Gran Doria is stunning and Princess Diana's sisters are élégant.
ReplyDeleteArchie is such a cutie!! It looks to me like he could have daddy's red hair :-)
ReplyDeleteKate looked lovely, however I din't quite like the pleats on the hat. I wonder if the Queen attended the Christening, I don't see her in the pictures,
XOXO Siddhii
The Queen and Prince Phillip already had plans for the weekend at Sandringham, so they were not there.
DeleteChristenings is important in our family so I find it strange that they could not find a time where everybody could attend. I said the same thing last year when HM and DoE missed Louis’ christening.
I also think it looks like Archie might have red hair. He seems to have Meghan's nose. So far he looks like an adorable combination of the two!
DeleteI think as the Great Grandmother, and since Prince Philip retired, HM is deliberately stepping away from being photographed with the Wales family, except the direct heirs. Just my opinion, but as you say, I'm sure she could have attended if she'd really wanted to.
DeleteI think it must have been hard to find a time for Charles and Camilla to be available. Also, if the queen was planning to spend the weekend with PP, that sounds like it takes precedence. She is busy and frankly she should be able to spend time with him. Archie has a wonderful photo with his great-grandparents, and he will see them in August.
DeleteI dislike the prim pleats and pussy bows, but clearly Kate loves them as much as she does those 1940s retro headband styles; the bright shoes are the saving touch. She looks lovely in her way, and oh, the gracious sentiment of choosing Diana’s earrings. Doria is the day’s winner for me, adore her homage to the Queen Mother with that hat.
ReplyDeleteI agree. Doria is gorgeous and so elegant.
DeleteLove the Kate is wearing and the pop of red in the band and the shoes. It seems to me to be not Kate's usual style of coordinating or neutral colours for accessories? The headband looks lovely with Kate's hair worn down. Trying to figure William's expression. Is he trying to suppress a laugh?
ReplyDeleteI don't think William likes posing for formal photos (not many people do, after all) and it shows!
DeleteIf you look at the closeup, his eyes are twinkling. I think he was about to smile widely like a couple of others. Photo just caught a different moment in his reaction.
DeleteYou often see William with that bemused/holding in a laugh/self conscious look on his face on formal photos.
DeleteVery nice Family portrait. Archie is sooooo cute. Thanks, Charlotte for the history lesson. I always enjoy the history aspects of your posts.
ReplyDeleteCeCe, I agree @20:11. So glad to see Princess Diana’s sisters in attendance.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I am not a huge fan of Kate’s neck bows, I think the overall look was fantastic. A touching gesture by wearing Diana’s earrings. But mainly can we just talk about how great Kate’s makeup is in that portrait?!? Strong eyebrows and flawless, glowing skin
ReplyDeleteThanks for the post, Charlotte!
Agreed; it’s a very good makeup look for her and I hope to see more of it!
DeleteCJ
Everyone looks so lovely in the family photo. I think Archie looks like a blend of both parents, but hope that his hair stays red. :o) How kind and thoughtful of Catherine to wear the earrings Diana wore for Harry's christening.
ReplyDeleteThanks for a wonderful post, Charlotte. You're the best!
Miss you!! ❤️
DeleteI don’t know what Kate is taking but she seems to get younger by the day. At first glance I thought she was some high school cousin.
ReplyDeleteWhile I don’t share her love for the headbands the red accessories really make the outfit.
Looking at the family photo and comparing it to the Cambridge kids family photos, I just realized that whatever is going on between the “fab four” they better sort it out. For the sake of the Cambridges but even more so for the Sussexes. With Doria in the US and Charles and Camilla being notoriously busy, William, Kate and their kids are the family they and especially lil’ Archie has.
I never read too much into these photos. A group photo at an event like this always has a few, at least, less than great photos of some of the family. They try and pick out the best one of the "stars" of the event, Archie, Meghan and Harry and then the best of the rest:):). Also no idea if any issues between family members.
DeleteLoved Kate wearing a more colorful outfit with contrasting rather than neutral accessories. I love the headbands! I think they are fresh and beautiful. She looks gorgeous. I also am not a fan of the fussier dresses she does, but glad to see something that's not a coatdress and I like this much more than other fussy dressy of hers... for ex, lthe blue one from Ascot.
ReplyDeleteI love the hatbands too. Very elegant and a more casual alternative to a hat.
DeleteGreat post on both blogs, well done! I loved what Kate was wearing (even the headband!) and I am so crazy for those earrings. So glad that Diana's sisters were included in the formal portrait. Such a nice touch.
ReplyDeleteKate is queen!
ReplyDeleteKate looks gorgeous. Love her hair down with the headband. Archie is just precious. What a happy, family event.
ReplyDeleteI love Kate's look too, Tedi!
DeleteI am not a big fan of pussy bows but I do like the pink color of the dress, the shoes. Not a fan of the Anne Boleyn headbands. But as today is a happy day I'll just comment on the warmth of Kate's body language. She is leaning her body towards Archie and Meghan, and she has a smile that really reaches the eyes. It's more than an "in-law phoning it in" sort of look. I think she;s excited for Archie to become part of the family and that;s lovely to see.
ReplyDeleteKate looks gorgeous. The dress color and hat and shoes look fantastic together. I am not usually a fan of the high neck tie but this one works for me and has an interesting twist to it as it is not a bow per se. All the ladies looked nice.
ReplyDeleteSurprised you didn't include the pics of W&K arriving - Kate was wearing blue in the car?
ReplyDeleteI thought that too but in one of the pics, if you look closely, you see it's actually Williams shirt and you get just a very small glimpse of pink.
DeleteNot a fan of that style of dress on her, but I loved the shade of pink with the red accessories.
ReplyDeleteKirsten
Qow i love the duchess of cambridge she looks pretty in that pretty outfit Archie looks mix of his parents both his mom and dad
ReplyDeleteBeautiful family portrait in this special day! Baby Archie is so cute! God bless him! Kate looks gorgeous as always! Love her whole look! ❤️😊
ReplyDeleteFor some reason, I was guessing she'd wear pink today, and it's nice to see that dress in a full shot. The tailoring looks very detailed, and the design is beautiful. I sometimes question the way Kate accessorizing her outfits, especially with respect to how she matches various shades of color. The red hat and shoes with this pink dress seems to work okay here, because there appears to be a sort of orange-y tone in the shoes and hat that picks up on the peachy undertone of the dress.
ReplyDeleteThinking she purposely wore the earrings Diana had on at Harry's christening gives me the chills, especially with this event being so close to Diana's birthday.
I love the colour of The Duchess of Cambridge's dress, not so sure about the dress, jury out on that. Just love her shoes, beautiful colour. Her earrings are gorgeous. I am so happy The Duke included his aunties a representation of his mother. That speaks volumes, bless him. The photo of his mother and christening photo is beautiful, another milestone missed.
ReplyDeleteKate is gorgeous as always. The star of the day, Archie is a real cutie-pie !
ReplyDeleteThanks to the "discreet" Godparents, Lady Sarah and Lady Jane have been granted the official picture. Nice thought, I think. I wonder if the husbands where invited too.
Kate looks Amazing!!! Love everything about this outfit! I wish we could see the pictures of the cousins!
ReplyDeleteLovely Christening! They all look so happy. It would have been nice to also see Diana's brother, just a thought.
ReplyDeleteI really love Kate's red shoes - absolutely gorgeous - and yes yes yes... the earrings that once belonged to Princess Diana are such a thoughtful gesture, but I cannot commit my emotions to the red and pink combo. I was brought up that pink and red do not match, and I cannot get over it. The top is so busy and then the very short skirt, I am not sold. Kate's legs are amazing however! The headband ...hmmm... it might have been fun to wear with jeans and a long shirt, to spice things up but ... ahhhrhh... I am disappointed with the outfit as a whole. Great coverage as per ususal, Charlotte, thank you!
Pink is actually just a lighter shade of red, so as long as the colors are in the same range of warmth or coolness, I can’t see anything wrong in it. One often sees light blue and dark blue together, or green. I quite like her wearing accessories that pop a bit, in contrast to her more usual neutrals.
DeleteCJ
That’s a pretty nice outfit. I am no fan of the headband and would have preferred the pillbox version but the colours really work well together.
ReplyDeleteArchie looks indeed a lot like Harry around that age. It’s going to be interesting to see how he and the resemblances change over time.
C.
Lovely Kate, always!
ReplyDeleteSuch a beautiful picture of everyone! Little Archie is the star of the show...so cute. I love Kate's dress, and I am a fan of the fancy headbands. More women of royal status are wearing them now. Thanks Charlotte, for sharing with us.
ReplyDeleteKate has a very 1940s look with the headband. Headbands are definitely a thing for her, aren't they? As other commentators have said, the simple colourful dress is a winner!
ReplyDeleteKate looks lovely. I felt the color combination was interesting. This one works for me. I like the headband look here with Kate's hair down. The style - braided - makes this one look on point. Love the earrings.
ReplyDeleteAgree with you Charlotte that this is what Kate wore to the Queen's pre-Christmas party - it's the first thing that I thought of when I saw it. But it is odd that this dress - different fabric - looks identical to the satin version (which Madonna wore as well) circa 2011. Very interesting. Will probably always be a mystery.
I see a face in Kate's bow detail (second pic). It looks like a stormtrooper. I can't un-see it now, lol!
ReplyDeleteThat's hilarious! I totally see it too! I'm sure she would get a big laugh out of seeing g that too.
DeleteOh, for heaven’s sake! Now I can’t un-see it either. Thanks for that! ;-)
DeleteCJ
Omg I see it too AJ! I thoughts you were mad at first... May the force be with you Archie! 😂 The force was always strong with Kate....
DeleteSo glad it's not just me :)
DeleteKate is a beautiful woman but boy I sure don’t care for these headbands. Something about them makes me think of the late Queen Mother and that dress looks way too prim for my taste. Of course she is always slim and lovely but this look was a miss for me. Archie is a beautiful baby, everyone looks stunningly lovely and handsome!
ReplyDeleteWith exception to the earrings (which I thought was a touching, loving, supportive gesture by Kate), this whole outfit was a miss for me. This color was a miss for me the time she wore it for a state banquet (pink dress with red and white jewels) and it was a miss for me today. I also don't care for these headbands. I agree with sentiments of one poster, that I would rather see the pillbox version. The pillbox version in cream or matching her dress would have been more my taste. Same with shoes. I also think she would have blended better with Doria. Loved the nod to Diana and Harry with the earrings though.
ReplyDeleteCharlotte , I love the history and photos you included ! The earrings were such a nice touch . I like this pink color on the Duchess , but not this particular dress. The headband looks too matronly to me.
ReplyDeleteI like Kate's look very much. Lovely colours, the eyes are drawn to her in the picture.
ReplyDeleteLove this look! Duchess Kate simply stunning and understated very smart choice for the occasion.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful picture of the Duchess of Cambridge, and Prince William looks handsome. Can't wait to see them at another Royal wedding. Hopefully Princess Beatrice will get a ring by the end of the summer. Thanks for the wonderful website, Charlotte! Parthenia
ReplyDeleteKate looks absolutely lovely!! I love her headband game, it immediately makes me think of so many of the other European & Scandinavian Royal Ladies!! I also love the pink & red together & how Doria & Kate's ensembles enhance one another. Diana's earrings are a thoughtful touch too! Such a lovely group photo & Archie..... So Adorable!!! I Can't Even...... :) xx
ReplyDeletei love kate's dress it is truly pretty in pink! love it from head to toe
ReplyDeletebaby archie is a beautiful baby thanks so much charlotte for another great post
i love doria's outfit so much