Princess Charlotte to be christened at royal estate
LONDON: Britain’s Princess Charlotte, the nine-week-old baby of Prince William and his wife Kate, was set to be christened at a church on Queen Elizabeth II’s country estate.
The queen, her husband Prince Philip, Prince Charles and Kate’s family were among a small group of guests scheduled to attend the event at St Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham near England’s eastern coast yesterday.
The church, close to William and Kate’s country house Anmer Hall, is where the royal family traditionally gathers for a Christmas service. It is also where Charlotte’s late grandmother, Princess Diana, was christened in 1961.
Charlotte, the fourth in line to the throne, was likely to make a rare appearance for the cameras.
It would be only the second glimpse of the princess in public since she was born May 2.
The event would see the Cambridges – William is known as the Duke of Cambridge and Kate the duchess – appear in public for the first time as a family of four, with celebrity photographer Mario Testino taking official photos of the royal family after the service.
Like her elder brother George, Charlotte was set to be christened in a replica of the lace and satin christening gown made for Queen Victoria’s eldest daughter, also named Victoria in 1841.
Since then until 2008, that original gown had been worn by all royal babies at their baptism. — AP