Testino did a remarkable job in capturing the joy of the day.
Today, Kensington Palace released four official photos to commemorate Princess Charlotte’s christening. The portraits were taken by Mario Testino, a world-renowned photographer who took the first official pictures of William and Kate following their engagement in 2011 – as well as Princess Diana's iconic Vanity Fair cover in 1997.
Testino did a remarkable job in capturing the joy of the day.
Princess Charlotte was christened this afternoon in the church of St Mary Magdalene on the Sandringham estate, where her late grandmother Diana, Princess of Wales was also baptized. Prior to the service, The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge walked from Sandringham House to the church with their children. This was the first time the Cambridges had been publicly seen as a family of four.
Princess Charlotte was taken to church today in a vintage Millson pram, previously used by Queen Elizabeth for two of her own children, Prince Edward & Prince Andrew.
The service was a small and private family affair and guests included the Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh, the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall. Representing Kate's family were Michael, Carole, Pippa and James Middleton. Completing the guest list were Princess Charlotte’s godparents and their spouses.
The godparents are three close friends; Sophie Carter, James Meade, Thomas van Straubenzee, and two family, Adam Middleton & Laura Fellowes, Princess Diana's niece.
Princess Charlotte wore the hand made replica of the Royal Christening Robe, made by Angela Kelly, Dressmaker to The Queen. Her Majesty commissioned it in 2004 to replace the original, which she reportedly deemed too fragile for further use. The original Victorian gown was commissioned by Queen Victoria to make the gown for the christening of her eldest daughter, Victoria, Princess Royal, in 1841. Styled after the wedding dress the Queen had worn for her marriage to Prince Albert the year before, the gown was made of Spitalfields silk with a Honiton lace overlay. In her diary Queen Victoria described it as ‘a white Honiton point lace robe and mantle over white satin’, and wrote that her daughter had looked ‘very dear’ in it.
The Duchess of Cambridge wore a bespoke ivory Alexander McQueen coat dress and Jane Taylor hat. More details on what Kate wore here.
Prince George looked adorable in a a smocked set from Rachel Riley. The outfit is reminsecent in design to what Prince William wore when visiting his new baby brother, Prince Harry, at the Lindo Wing in 1982.
After the service guests retired to Sandringham House for an afternoon tea hosted by the Queen. Guests were a tier of William & Kate's wedding cake at the tea party.
During the tea reception, official photographs were taken by Mario Testino, the photographer who took the first official pictures of William and Kate following their engagement in 2011 – as well as Princess Diana's iconic Vanity Fair cover in 1997. They will be released in due course.
We'll leave you with some of our favorite photos from this special day.
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