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Prince George christening to be attended by four generations of royalty Prince George christening to be attended by four generations of royalty
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Four generations of the royal family will gather for the private christening of Prince George of Cambridge, the third in line to the throne.Four generations of the royal family will gather for the private christening of Prince George of Cambridge, the third in line to the throne.
During the private and intimate service on Wednesday afternoon, Prince George, who will one day become defender of the faith and supreme governor of the Church of England, will be baptised by the archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby.During the private and intimate service on Wednesday afternoon, Prince George, who will one day become defender of the faith and supreme governor of the Church of England, will be baptised by the archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby.
Details of his godparents, chosen by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, were announced by Kensington Palace ahead of the small and intimate service at the Chapel Royal at St James's Palace. Only 22 guests will attend: senior members of the royal family led by the Queen, the Duchess of Cambridge's parents and siblings, and seven godparents and their partners.
The list show the couple breaking with tradition by choosing close friends and confidants from their school and university days rather than senior members of the royal family. Details of the infant godparents, chosen by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, were announced by Kensington Palace ahead of the small and intimate service at the Chapel Royal at St James's Palace.
Oliver Baker, who attended the University of St Andrews with the couple, and Emilia Jardine-Paterson, who attended Marlborough College with Kate, are among seven godparents chosen. The list show the couple breaking with tradition by choosing close friends and confidants from their school and university days rather than senior members of the royal family, as has been usual for a future monarch.
The Earl Grosvenor – Hugh Grosvenor – the son of the Duke of Westminster, and William's trusted former aide, Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton, have also accepted the role. Oliver "Ollie" Baker, 31, a banker, attended the University of St Andrews with the couple and was a close confidant, sharing a farmhouse on the outskirts of St Andrews with them.
Julia Samuel, a close friend of Diana, Princess of Wales, and William van Cutsem, a childhood friend of William, have also been chosen. Emilia Jardine-Paterson, an interior designer, is a close friend who attended Marlborough College with Kate, and is widely credited with introducing the royal couple.
The only member of the royal family is Zara Tindall, William's cousin and daughter of Princess Anne, who is married to the England rugby player Mike Tindall. The Earl Grosvenor – Hugh Grosvenor, 22, – is the son of the Duke of Westminster, owner of the vast property company Grosvenor Group, whose family has close links with the royal family.
William's trusted former aide, Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton, a former SAS officer whose son Billy, 10, was a pageboy at the couple's wedding, has also accepted a role.
Julia Samuel, 54, was a close friend of Diana, Princess of Wales, and is co-founder of the Child Bereavement Trust, of which William is a patron.
William van Cutsem is childhood friend of William. He is one of four brothers whose father, the late Hugh van Cutsem, who was a close friend of Prince Charles.
The only member of the royal family to have been asked to take on this important role is Olympic medallist Zara Tindall, William's cousin and daughter of Princess Anne, who is married to the England rugby player Mike Tindall.
The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh will lead guests at the service. Prince George's grandparents, the Prince of Wales – accompanied by the Duchess of Cornwall – and Michael and Carole Middleton, will attend. So too will the three-month-old prince's uncles, Prince Harry and James Middleton, and his aunt, Pippa Middleton.The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh will lead guests at the service. Prince George's grandparents, the Prince of Wales – accompanied by the Duchess of Cornwall – and Michael and Carole Middleton, will attend. So too will the three-month-old prince's uncles, Prince Harry and James Middleton, and his aunt, Pippa Middleton.
The infant prince will wear a replica of the intricate lace and satin christening gown made for Queen Victoria's eldest daughter, Victoria, the Princess Royal, in 1841.The infant prince will wear a replica of the intricate lace and satin christening gown made for Queen Victoria's eldest daughter, Victoria, the Princess Royal, in 1841.
During the service, the archbishop of Canterbury will baptise him at the Lily Font, a silver baptismal font commissioned by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert for the birth of their daughter Victoria, and using water from the river Jordan.During the service, the archbishop of Canterbury will baptise him at the Lily Font, a silver baptismal font commissioned by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert for the birth of their daughter Victoria, and using water from the river Jordan.
Following the service, guests will attend a private tea at Clarence House, hosted by Prince Charles, and where guests will be served christening cake, which is a tier from the couple's wedding cake. Following the service, guests will attend a private tea at Clarence House, hosted by Prince Charles. Guests will be served christening cake, which is a tier from the couple's wedding cake.
Later four generations of the royal family will be photographed together by celebrity photographer Jason Bell, whose work has appeared in Vogue and Vanity Fair magazines, and who will take the photograph of the Queen, with three future monarchs – the Prince of Wales, Prince William and Prince George. Four generations of the royal family will later be photographed together by celebrity photographer Jason Bell, whose work has appeared in Vogue and Vanity Fair magazines, and who will take the photograph of the Queen, with three future monarchs – the Prince of Wales, Prince William and Prince George.
The christening will take place in the Chapel Royal at St James's Palace, where the coffin of Diana, Princess of Wales, rested before her funeral service. Prince Charles and Prince William were christened in the Music Room inside Buckingham Palace. But the Cambridges made the "personal decision" to break with this tradition, choosing the small and intimate chapel, where Kate was privately confirmed into the Church of England ahead of her marriage to the future king.
In recent years, future monarchs have been christened in the Music Room inside Buckingham Palace. This was where both Prince Charles and Prince William were christened. But the Cambridges made the "personal decision" to break with this tradition, choosing the small and intimate chapel,where Kate was privately confirmed into the Church of England ahead of her marriage to the future king. Construction of the chapel, built on the site of a medieval lepers hospital, was started by Henry VIII in 1531. Mary I's heart lies beneath the flagstone floor and Elizabeth I sought sanctuary in the chapel to say prayers against the threat of the Spanish Armada. The coffin of Diana, Princess of Wales, rested in the chapel before her funeral service.
Built on the site of a medieval leper hospital, construction of the chapel was started by Henry VIII in 1531. In the past, godparents of royal babies high in the line of succession have mostly been selected from the older generation of royals. William's six godparents were: King Constantine II of the Hellenes, Lord Romsey, Sir Laurens van der Post, Princess Alexandra, the Duchess of Westminster, and Lady Susan Hussey, lady-in-waiting to the Queen.
Beneath the flagstone floor lies Mary I's heart and Elizabeth I sought sanctuary in the chapel to say prayers against the threat of the Spanish Armada.
In the past, godparents of royal babies high up in the line of succession have mostly been selected from the older generation of royals. Williams six godparents were: King Constantine II of the Hellenes; Lord Romsey; Sir Laurens van der Post: Princess Alexandra: the Duchess of Westminster: and Lady Susan Hussey, lady-in-waiting to the Queen.
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