ROYAL CHRISTENING: DI’S SISTERS Harry’s
Is ex-nanny Tiggy a godparent?
Meghan cradles baby Archie, his eyes shut, as Harry gazes at son yesterday ROYAL baby Archie took centre stage yesterday at a christening ceremony which honoured the memory of Princess Diana.
As delighted parents Harry and Meghan cradled their son, Diana’s two sisters stood proudly behind their nephew in the official picture.
It was seen as the perfect nod to Harry’s mum, who died in 1997.
The christening had been shrouded in secrecy, with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex even keeping the godparents’ names secret.
Only 25 guests were at the Windsor Castle chapel ceremony. Diana’s sisters Lady Jane Fellowes, 62, and Lady Sarah McCorquodale, 64, were among them.
In the official picture, Harry, 34, and Meghan, 37, are on a green and gold couch which matches the chair Diana sat on for Harry’s christening back in December 1984.
Harry, just 12 when Diana died in a Paris car crash, has been determined to include his aunties in Archie’s life.
Speaking after his son’s birth in May, Harry opened up about losing Diana, admitting: “Missing a mother is like missing some kind of security.
“You need that as a son and it falls away when you lose your mother.”
The official family portrait, taken in Windsor Castle’s Green Drawing Room, also shows
Prince Charles and Camilla, Meghan’s mum Doria Ragland and Prince William and his wife Kate. The Queen
Band plays for changing of guard in Windsor. Below: Archbishop Welby and Prince Philip were not there because of a prior engagement.
Only two pictures were released yesterday – the official portrait and a black and white image taken in the castle’s Rose Garden.
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In that picture, Meghan – wearing a white Dior dress – tenderly presses her chin against Archie’s forehead as Harry proudly gazes at his boy, whose eyes are momentarily closed.
The pictures – posted on the couple’s Instagram page – were by fashion photographer Chris Allerton, who also took the couple’s wedding snaps. He said: “I am honoured to take the official photographs and be part of such a special and joyous occasion for The Duke and Duchess of Sussex.”
The Archbishop
of FORMER royal nanny Tiggy Legge-Bourke was among 25 guests at the christening – prompting speculation she might be among a possible seven godparents.
Tiggy, 54, was nanny and then companion to William and Harry between 1993 and 1999. Now Tiggy Pettifer, she is pictured, left, leaving the ceremony wearing a red and white dress with specs to match.
Harry’s pals Tom Inskip, Guy Pelly and Charlie Van Straubenzee are also
Canterbury, the Rt Rev Justin Welby, baptised Archie Harrison MountbattenWindsor in the traditional silver Lily Font, using water from the River Jordan.
Archie – seventh in line to the throne – wore a replica of the Honiton christening gown commissioned by Queen Victoria in 1841 for the christening of her eldest daughter, Victoria, Princess Royal.
After the pics were released, Twitter was awash with speculation that Archie may have inherited Harry’s ginger hair.
Sandy Hughes tweeted: “Archie is a nice blend of both parents. It appears he has the Spencer red hair.”
And Serena Sonoma wrote: “Baby Archie. Is that red hair!?!?.”
Outside the castle royal fans lined the streets hoping – in vain – for a peep of the royals. Superfan John Loughrey, 64, said: “It’s a special day, but Princess Diana would have loved Harry to have come out and enjoyed it with the public.” rumoured to be possible godparents – along with Princess Di’s sisters Lady Jane Fellowes and Lady Sarah McCorquodale.
Other contenders are believed to include Meghan’s best pal Markus Anderson, her maid of honour Lindsay Roth and her Canadian fashion stylist pal Jessica Mulroney. Even George Clooney’s wife Amal has been named as a possible.
Buckingham Palace last night said: “The godparents, in keeping with their wishes, will remain private.”