Christening of Prince George of Cambridge: October 23, 2013

[Lindy]

...I have a question: when William or Harry (or any of the grandchildren) were christened did we get a picture of just QEII, the DoE, and the child? I know that when they got older there were pictures of just the pair of them and their grandchildren, but I can't say that I've seen any from the christenings (although, I could have missed that).

As far as I know, Queen Elizabeth II is never photographed holding a baby or child, except her own children years ago. For some reason, it must be seen as non-Queen-like to be photographed holding small children. (There is one picture I can think of where little Zara is sitting in her lap at a race.... that's it!)

 

[cepe]

As far as I know, Queen Elizabeth II is never photographed holding a baby or child, except her own children years ago. For some reason, it must be seen as non-Queen-like to be photographed holding small children. (There is one picture I can think of where little Zara is sitting in her lap at a race.... that's it!)

To be fair - you mean no published photos.

Also - Victoria was. Maybe HMQ is wary of holding small babies and the ensuing risks

 

[suztav]

As far as I know, Queen Elizabeth II is never photographed holding a baby or child, except her own children years ago. For some reason, it must be seen as non-Queen-like to be photographed holding small children. (There is one picture I can think of where little Zara is sitting in her lap at a race.... that's it!)

Actually there is video of QEII holding Zara at the photography session following her christening. You can find the video on one of these threads or on You Tube.

 

[BritishRoyalist]

George III had a great-grandchild born dead - the son of Princess Charlotte of Wales. So he was alive when a great-grandchild was born - just sadly born dead.

Yes but it was born dead and George III never met it so and from what I read he never knew so... Technically there only been two

 

[Dman]

The Queen do hold her grandchildren. I'm pretty sure she has held her great-grandchildren as well.

 

[Osipi]

The Queen do hold her grandchildren. I'm pretty sure she has held her great-grandchildren as well.

Oh I imagine she does love to hold the wee ones, hug them and enjoys playing with them. The difference being that usually when this happens, she's not in Queen mode but Granny mode. Private time.

 

[Skippyboo]

I could not find anything about how many people were at William's christening. I agree that George's christening will be a smaller family event with probably William's immediate family and the immediate family of Kate. We know Anne is in Canada and Sophie has engagements outside of London. So it doesn't seem like William's extended family won't be there so the Spencers side and Middleton extended aren't going to go either.

So Charles, Camilla, Harry, Queen and Philip plus 4 Middletons, 6 godparents plus spouses plus Rebecca, Miguel, Ed and Nick in a working capacity is 25 people not counting the Cambridges.

 

[Dman]

I wonder who got the job as the official photographer for George's Christening? We'll see soon.

 

[Skippyboo]

The guy who did the wedding photos perhaps.

 

[vkrish]

Not to get out of the way, but there used to be severe turf wars even for the choice of photographer..There was a very serious one for The Coronation, between The QM and The DoE..and I guess I need not say who won..

 

[Empress Jo]

Re potential photographers, I am hoping that William will choose and pay for same, if it would give him some control over issues such as distribution and photoshopping.

Would not be surprised if Pippa suggested a good photographer from Vanity Fair, an alternative to Mario Testino.

 

[Skippyboo]

There is a difference in photographing an event versus a magazine/ad shoot. At the event the time is limited and people are going to get grumpy. For the wedding, the photographer said he only had 30 minutes for the pictures.

 

[mslewis]

@Skippyboo. What I meant was that by comparison to Williams, this ceremony seems to be on the cheap side. My understanding is that there were some 60 guests present at Williams christening, despite the fact that Charles had far fewer friends than does William, at approximately the same age. William and Kate could easily invite 160 guests, if not more. Further, I quite doubt that Charles will lay on a luncheon for the occasion, although, to be sure, all 60 present at Williams christening, were treated to same. Of course, I could be wrong; time will tell.

Isn't the chapel only large enough for a small group? I remember reading that only about 30 people could comfortably fit for the ceremony. Also, I think "cheap" is not the word you should be using. There is nothing cheap about the christening of a future King in a royal chapel.

Also, Charles and Camilla could very well host a luncheon or some such afterwards. I seriously doubt the Duchess of Cambridge would be up for inviting a horde of people back to her new apartment. I imagine she and William will be nervous already just with the christening; having 30 people over for lunch the same day would be too much, I think. They could always have a family dinner/housewarming during the holidays to let family and friends see the new place.

 

[cepe]

Isn't the chapel only large enough for a small group? I remember reading that only about 30 people could comfortably fit for the ceremony. Also, I think "cheap" is not the word you should be using. There is nothing cheap about the christening of a future King in a royal chapel.

Also, Charles and Camilla could very well host a luncheon or some such afterwards. I seriously doubt the Duchess of Cambridge would be up for inviting a horde of people back to her new apartment. I imagine she and William will be nervous already just with the christening; having 30 people over for lunch the same day would be too much, I think. They could always have a family dinner/housewarming during the holidays to let family and friends see the new place.

I think it's much bigger than that. The future George V and Queen Mary married there, and I've also read that the 18th c refurb brought the capacity to c 500.

Other weddings of note


8 April 1795: Prince George, Prince of Wales eldest son and successor of King George III, was married to Princess Caroline, Duchess of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel

10 February 1840: Queen Victoria, only daughter of Prince Edward, Duke of Kent and Strathearn and successor of King William IV was married to Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Duke of Saxony[5]

6 November 1935: Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester, son of George V was married to Alice Montagu-Douglas-Scott

 

[DukeofMontpelier]

Just for a little historical context, here's my blog post on the 7 most controversial christenings in British royal history!

The 7 Most Controversial Royal Christenings | Carolyn Harris: Royal Historian

Thank you for this and all your blog post. I have your site saved as a shortcut on my phone.

 

[Empress Jo]

@mslewis. This chapel is large enough to accommodate far more than 30 guests, unless the choir is unusually large, which is doubtful.

And, I reiterate--this ceremony is going to be low-key and cheap/inexpensive. I have never suggested that WK would host a multitude at their new apartment; they don't have the staff to pull it off, altho Charles certainly does. I suggested that after any champagne and canapé reception Charles may/may not host, it would be up to WK, if they so choose,to host a small luncheon consisting of godparents, their spouses, Harry, Pippa and James. This much WK could manage, thanks to Antonella and proper planning, provided, of course, that by that time, they have an adequate dining-room, with table and chairs.

There has been, from my point of view, a noticeable lack of royal generosity, re WK, to date. The Middletons, on the other hand, have stepped up to the plate, paying more than say the Spencers toward the cost of the wedding, purchasing a new, larger home when many would be down-sizing in order to provide a safe haven for W/K/G.

Yes, the Windsors are playing this cheap.

 

[Zonk]

Please note that off topic posts (i.e. the Cambridge wedding reception and foreign royals, etc.) have been deleted as off topic.

 

[Dman]

Prince George's £50,000 coin: Piece containing 1kg of gold among first set minted to commemorate a royal christening-
Prince George's £50,000 coin: Piece containing 1kg of gold among first set minted to commemorate a royal christening | Mail Online

Now I love that coin.

 

[Dman]

Video:
Royal Christening: Commemorative Coin Production-
Home - ITNSource News

Always nice to see how the coins are made.

 

[cepe]

I am so pleased that the christening of Prince George of Cambridge is being celebrated as he will, one day, be Head of the Church of England. I appreciate that over time, the situation might change, but here and now, this is a good thing to happen.

And FYI, I am not a member of the CoE.

 

[Empress Jo]

Love that 50,000 Brit coin, not that I am lining up to buy it. But I might have been persuaded to purchase its twin in silver, had I not already bought a set of three, celebrating Prince George, produced by the Canadian Mint.

By the way, IMO, the Canadian Mint produced a far better coin, featuring WK, than did the Royal Mint, upon the occasion of Wks marriage.

 

[wbenson]

Prince George christening: Royals Anne and Sophie left off guest list | Mail Online

Some senior members of the Royal Family have not been invited to Prince George’s christening this month because his parents want it to be an ‘intimate, family affair’, the Daily Mail has learnt.

Prince William’s aunts, Princess Anne and Sophie, Countess of Wessex, have been left off the guest list, the Mail was told last night.

And although Buckingham Palace refused to comment, it seems George’s great-uncles, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward, are also not attending the hugely anticipated event on October 23.

 

[COESpiral]

Weren't Anne and Sophie already planning to be working that day and unable to attend even if they had been invited? (And I have a sneaky feeling they were, it's the DM "reporting" after all.) I seriously don't see William not inviting his aunts and uncles if they wanted to be there. Plus, were all of William's great-aunts and uncles at his christening? Maybe they were, I have no idea. Maybe everyone's viewpoint is, "You've seen one christening, you've seen them all."

 

[bertie5252003]

Well one can only hope that this not exclusion I would find that really hard to believe ... but no doubt all the Mids will be there...

 

[Iluvbertie]

Neither Andrew nor Margaret were at William's christening. Andrew was fighting in The Falklands War and Margaret was on her annual holidays.

 

[Duke of Marmalade]

I personally like the fact that George will be christened in the chapel, I dont see why Buck's Music Room has to be used for traditional reasons.

Re attendees, each to their own. I think who has to be there are (from W&K perspective) grandparents, parents, siblings with partners, godparents with partners, a few very good friends. If you start with uncles and aunts, you should be equal with both families, and this is where the problem might start, the Middletons might not be keen to present the uncles and aunts from their side. Therefore its possible that they have drawn the line. I dont mind. I dont have to see Andrew etc there just because its the royal part of the family. I'd consider them 'extended family', not essential to attend.

 

[wbenson]

Weren't Anne and Sophie already planning to be working that day and unable to attend even if they had been invited?

Yes. Anne will be in Canada that day, and Sophie will be in South West England.

 

[carlota]

Yes. Anne will be in Canada that day, and Sophie will be in South West England.

It's interesting they chose a date when other royals already had engagements. In other courts, they would pick a date when everyone is free and leave it free for the event. It seems like this will be a low key event then, probably with some official pictures and maybe a photoop but nothing else... At least we can look forward at the picture of the 4 generations together which will surely make the front page of many newspapers around the world!

 

[Iluvbertie]

This was always going to be a low key event with some close family and friends, a few photos and maybe a 30 second or so clip of some of the proceedings. That is the BRF's approach to christenings - private and small.

 

[suztav]

The DM is really a hack newspaper, isn't it?! Anne and Sophie already have engagements. And, frankly, the only calendars that needed to be checked are that of the Queen and DofE.

I'm just amazed at how some members of the media are so desperate to stir up trouble.