The sleeping prince…. Louis slumbers through big day | Royal | News (Details)

Proud parents the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were delighted with their first public appearance as a royal family of five. Eleven-week-old Louis was baptised by the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, using water from the River Jordan, according to royal tradition.

The little prince was dressed in a cream, frilly lace christening gown, a 2008 replica of the intricate robe made for Queen Victoria’s eldest daughter, also Victoria, in 1841.

He was sound asleep in his mother Kate’s arms when he was carried into the chapel, built by Henry VIII in 1540, but was spotted wiggling his fingers as his beaming mother emerged from the service.

Kate, 36, described her sleeping son as “very relaxed and peaceful” when she chatted to the Archbishop on the way in. “I hope he stays like this,” she said with a smile.

George and Charlotte politely shook the Archbishop’s hand when they arrived. “Well done,” their father Prince William said encouragingly. Charlotte emerged confidently 40 minutes later with a large order of service tucked under her arm.

There were fewer than 25 guests in the oak-panelled chapel for the christening, among them Louis’s aunt and uncle, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, as well as his grandparents, Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall.

Surprisingly, the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh were missing from the small family affair. Sources said it was agreed some time ago they would not attend, citing the Queen’s busy schedule.

The 92-year-old monarch, who has been cutting back on her public appearances, is due to attend centenary celebrations for the RAF in London today.

She will host a visit by US president Donald Trump to Windsor Castle on Friday and has a series of audiences and other meetings in-between.

Louis’s six godparents are Guy Pelly, Nicholas van Cutsem, Harry Aubrey-Fletcher, Lady Laura Meade, Hannah Carter and Lucy Middleton.

Other guests included Louis’s maternal grandparents Carole and Michael Middleton, Kate’s brother James and her pregnant sister Pippa with husband James Matthews.

Louis Arthur Charles of Cambridge, fifth in line to the throne, was born on St George’s Day, April 23. His aunt Meghan wore an olive green Ralph Lauren dress, featuring the same sort of boatneck neckline seen on her Givenchy wedding gown, and a Stephen Jones hat.

She arrived holding Harry’s hand and giggled when Archbishop Welby, who married the pair in May, made a joke about the wedding. The Duchess of Cambridge, in an ivory McQueen outfit and Jane Taylor headpiece, stayed close to her trademark look for such occasions.

Her sister Pippa, displaying a small baby bump beneath her demure high-necked dress, wore a pale pastel blue, while her mother Carole Middleton was also in a pastel shade, a light green.

The Duchess of Cornwall, 70, looked elegant in a Fiona Clare outfit and a Locke hat.

Close pals and family …meet the godparents

PRINCE Louis’s godparents were chosen from a select group of his parents’ close friends and family.

GUY PELLY Dubbed William and Harry’s court jester he has been a friend of the princes since they were teenagers. Now 36, he was famously – though he insisted wrongly – blamed for introducing a 16-year-old Harry to drugs.

Two years later, his reputation as a joker was enhanced when he was spotted “mooning” at William and Kate in the Swiss ski resort of Klosters.

NICHOLAS VAN CUTSEM One of four brothers who have often been described as surrogate siblings to William and Harry. He left the Army in 2015 to become a defence consultant and now works for a company converting humidity in the air into drinking water.

LADY LAURA MEADE The daughter of the 8th earl of Romney is married to William’s close friend James Meade, who is one of Princess Charlotte’s godparents. Mr Meade is the son of Olympic gold medallist equestrian Richard Meade.

HANNAH CARTER An old school friend of Kate’s, both attended Marlborough College, where they played together in several sports teams. She is married to Robert Carter whose family are Norfolk landowners.

LUCY MIDDLETON Kate’s cousin, the only blood relative picked as one of Louis’s godparents, is a senior publishing lawyer at Penguin Random House. She specialises in defamation, privacy and data protection.

HARRY AUBREY-FLETCHER Another old school friend, he was photographed playing up during the 2013 Cheltenham Festival when he jokingly pulled William’s ear.

Comment

BY ANTONIA KRASKOWSKI, FASHION EDITOR

ON a sweltering day, it was very much a family affair as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arrived at St James’s Palace. Kate looked stylish and refined in a stunning bespoke Alexander McQueen dress with a floral detailed halo hat by Jane Taylor.

In contrast to her usual millinery style, the hat sat back on her head and showed off her stunning pearl cluster earrings.

The Middleton family chose shades of blue, with Pippa in a long-sleeved shirt dress by Alessandra Rich that skimmed her bump and mother Carole in ice-blue Suzannah.

Pippa and Kate’s cousin Lady Lucy Meade, one of Prince Louis’s godparents, wore a floral dress in a cool-blue pattern. The Duchess of Sussex took a different sartorial direction, with a pared-down khaki dress by American designer Ralph Lauren.

She completed her look with a homegrown flourish in the shape of a hat by Stephen Jones.

While much has been made of whether Meghan will champion British brands as her sister-in-law does, her mix of US, Canadian and British designers shows a modern transatlantic flair.

One thing is clear – while the two youngest wives from the house of Windsor have very different looks, they are equally glamorous in the style stakes.