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From the Times - it includes a lot of the info from the Sunday Times
Prince George’s godparents will not include a single member of the Royal Family or the Middleton family, according to sources close to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
Three godparents were named yesterday, all close friends of the couple rather than the royal grandees chosen as godparents for heirs to the throne in previous generations.
Those named are Fergus Boyd, a friend since the University of St Andrews; Emilia d’Erlanger, a long-term friend of William who has known the Duchess since their days at Marlborough College; and Hugh van Cutsem, one of the Duke’s oldest childhood pals. By going for trusted friends rather than trawling through the ranks of royalty — both home-grown and foreign — and the aristocracy, the Cambridges appear yet again to be striking out on their own rather than adhering to tradition.
Assuming that Prince George will have six godparents when he is christened on October 23 at the Chapel Royal, St James’s Palace — and given the couple’s track record, perhaps nothing can be assumed — three are yet to be named.
However, it is understood that a number of people once considered possible contenders can now be ruled out. They include Thomas van Straubenzee and James Meade, who jointly delivered a speech at William and Kate’s wedding, his former principal private secretary Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton and his former nanny, Tiggy Pettifer.
Prince Harry is not on the list, and neither are either of the Duchess’s siblings, Pippa and James Middleton. No immediate relations of the late Diana, Princess of Wales, have been chosen.
Another close friend now thought to be out of the frame is Catriona Foyle, a friend of Kate’s from Marlborough College who has a young son and was photographed walking in Kensington Gardens with the Duchess during her pregnancy.
The list appears to be quite different from godparents chosen in the past. Prince William’s godparents included ex-King Constantine of Greece, Princess Alexandra, the Queen’s cousin, and the Duchess of Westminster.
The three names to have emerged thus far were reported by The Sunday Times.
Hugh van Cutsem, a co-founder of Kepler Partners LLP, which provides consultancy and marketingfor hedge funds, is likely to be a popular choice with the Royal Family. His family were neighbours of the Queen for many years when they leased Anmer Hall on the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk, now earmarked as the Cambridges’s country home.
His father, also called Hugh, was a close friend of the Prince of Wales, who attended his funeral last month with William and Harry. Mr van Cutsem’s wife, Rose, runs Maggie & Rose, a children’s club close to Kensington Palace where Prince George is likely to have his first play dates.
Mr Boyd, 31, famous for sitting next to William when he said “Wow, Kate’s hot” as they watched the Prince’s future wife walk down the catwalk at a St Andrews fashion show, has been a friend of William since Eton.
Ms d’Erlanger, 31, the co-founder of d’Erlanger and Sloan, an interior design company, is understood to have advised the Duchess on the renovation of the couple’s Kensington Palace home.
Possible names for the remaining godparents include Oliver Baker, who lived with the couple at Balgove House on the Strathtyrum Estate while at university, and Alasdair Coutts-Wood, another friend from Balgove House, who played rugby with William.
Also in the frame is Alicia Fox-Pitt, a friend of Kate’s since Marlborough College, who tried in 2007 to recruit Kate to the first all-female crew to cross the Channel in a dragon boat.
Lady Virginia Fraser, the daughter of Lord Strathalmond, and Olivia Bleasdale, are both friends from St Andrews.
Prince George’s godparents will not include a single member of the Royal Family or the Middleton family, according to sources close to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
Three godparents were named yesterday, all close friends of the couple rather than the royal grandees chosen as godparents for heirs to the throne in previous generations.
Those named are Fergus Boyd, a friend since the University of St Andrews; Emilia d’Erlanger, a long-term friend of William who has known the Duchess since their days at Marlborough College; and Hugh van Cutsem, one of the Duke’s oldest childhood pals. By going for trusted friends rather than trawling through the ranks of royalty — both home-grown and foreign — and the aristocracy, the Cambridges appear yet again to be striking out on their own rather than adhering to tradition.
Assuming that Prince George will have six godparents when he is christened on October 23 at the Chapel Royal, St James’s Palace — and given the couple’s track record, perhaps nothing can be assumed — three are yet to be named.
However, it is understood that a number of people once considered possible contenders can now be ruled out. They include Thomas van Straubenzee and James Meade, who jointly delivered a speech at William and Kate’s wedding, his former principal private secretary Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton and his former nanny, Tiggy Pettifer.
Prince Harry is not on the list, and neither are either of the Duchess’s siblings, Pippa and James Middleton. No immediate relations of the late Diana, Princess of Wales, have been chosen.
Another close friend now thought to be out of the frame is Catriona Foyle, a friend of Kate’s from Marlborough College who has a young son and was photographed walking in Kensington Gardens with the Duchess during her pregnancy.
The list appears to be quite different from godparents chosen in the past. Prince William’s godparents included ex-King Constantine of Greece, Princess Alexandra, the Queen’s cousin, and the Duchess of Westminster.
The three names to have emerged thus far were reported by The Sunday Times.
Hugh van Cutsem, a co-founder of Kepler Partners LLP, which provides consultancy and marketingfor hedge funds, is likely to be a popular choice with the Royal Family. His family were neighbours of the Queen for many years when they leased Anmer Hall on the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk, now earmarked as the Cambridges’s country home.
His father, also called Hugh, was a close friend of the Prince of Wales, who attended his funeral last month with William and Harry. Mr van Cutsem’s wife, Rose, runs Maggie & Rose, a children’s club close to Kensington Palace where Prince George is likely to have his first play dates.
Mr Boyd, 31, famous for sitting next to William when he said “Wow, Kate’s hot” as they watched the Prince’s future wife walk down the catwalk at a St Andrews fashion show, has been a friend of William since Eton.
Ms d’Erlanger, 31, the co-founder of d’Erlanger and Sloan, an interior design company, is understood to have advised the Duchess on the renovation of the couple’s Kensington Palace home.
Possible names for the remaining godparents include Oliver Baker, who lived with the couple at Balgove House on the Strathtyrum Estate while at university, and Alasdair Coutts-Wood, another friend from Balgove House, who played rugby with William.
Also in the frame is Alicia Fox-Pitt, a friend of Kate’s since Marlborough College, who tried in 2007 to recruit Kate to the first all-female crew to cross the Channel in a dragon boat.
Lady Virginia Fraser, the daughter of Lord Strathalmond, and Olivia Bleasdale, are both friends from St Andrews.
