Britain has been in the throes of a veritable Royals fever since the wedding of Prince Harry to US actress Meghan Markle. Next up is the baptism of Prince Louis, the youngest son of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/Duchess of Cambridge/Kensington Palace
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"I christen you Louis Arthur Charles" — the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, is bound to say something along those lines to the three-month-old royal baby on Monday afternoon. That much is to be expected. But of course, there will be more to the ceremony, and the British tabloids — in high gear anyway since the marriage of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle — have been speculating for weeks about the details surrounding this next big royal event.
The foremost question seems to be, what will the Duchess of Cambridge wear? OK magazine took a close look at Kate's outfits at recent church events, and figures she will wear a cream or light lemon-colored knee-length skirt and a jacket, subtle but pretty.
It is clear what little Louis, who was born on April 23, will wear: the same christening gown that all Windsor babies wear, the exact replica of the dress Princess Victoria, the daughter of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, wore in 1841.
Newborn baby Louis with his parents Image: Reuters/J. Stillwell
Precious baptismal font
Louis' christening is to take place at the Chapel Royal at St. James' palace, where his older brother George was baptized in 2013. His sister Charlotte, 3, was christened in 2015 at the church on the Queen's Sandringham estate. The Daily Express found the reason given for the latter rather disappointing: William and Kate simply happened to live near that church.
However, Charlotte's royal head was held above the very same baptismal font, the Lily Font, that is used in royal christenings. The gilted silver font, worth about 12,500 euros ($14,605), features cherubs, ivy and lilies.
A kiss from big sister CharlotteImage: picture-alliance/AP Photo/Duchess of Cambridge/Kensington Palace
The Daily Express also wondered whether Louis' christening will be public — 28 years after the baptism, also at St. Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham, of Princess Eugenie, Prince Andrew's daughter. "She remains the first and only member of the monarchy to have had a public royal baptism," the Daily Express said, quoting a former family butler as saying he wouldn't be surprised if this christening is private.
Who are the godparents?
So who gets to attend? That is another big question. The Romper portal has this list: Prince Charles and his wife Camilla, most probably the Queen, as well as Harry and Meghan — though the couple leaves for Ireland the next morning, which appears to be regarded as a long-haul journey in Britain. Then, there's the entire Middleton family. Will Louis' 97-year-old great-grandfather, Prince Philip, be there? The ceremony is possibly too much of a strain.
The palace announces the godparents on the day of the christening. Who will it be? Speculation is rife. Hello! magazine leans toward William's former nanny Tiggy Legge-Bourke, and Miguel Head, the prince's former private secretary. Heart radio station guesses it could be David Jardine-Paterson, a friend of William's, whose wife Emilia is Prince George's godmother.
So, many questions remain unanswered. There is one thing Romper is certain of, and that is, everyone is looking forward to seeing little Prince Louis again on July 9."
Check out our picture gallery for more cute royal babies.
Lilibet Diana and other royal babies
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announced the birth of their second child, a baby girl. Here are a few other British royal babies who've smiled for the camera.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa
Another reason to smile: the birth of their daughter Lilibet Diana
"It is with great joy that Prince Harry and Meghan, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, welcome their daughter, Lilibet 'Lili' Diana Mountbatten-Windsor, to the world," the couple's press secretary said Sunday, after the announcement of the June 4 birth. The new baby is named after Queen Elizabeth and the late Diana, Princess of Wales, Harry's mother. Official pictures have not yet been released.
Image: Chris Jackson/Getty Images
Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor
Meghan and Prince Harry's first child, Archie Harrison, was born on May 6, 2019. In the image shown here, the couple revealed their two-day-old son to the public, with the proud new mother declaring that the baby was "a dream." Archie is the seventh in line to the throne.
Image: Reuters/D. Lipinski
Prince Louis of Cambridge
Prince William and Kate introduced their third child to the world seven hours after his birth on April 23, 2018. While the boy was born on St. George's Day, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge had to find another name for the fifth-in-line to the throne, as George is the name given to his older brother. They picked Louis Arthur Charles, and he will be known as Prince Louis.
Image: Reuters/J. Stillwell
Third in line to the throne
Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge, gave birth to Prince William's first child on July 22, 2013. Officially called George Alexander Louis, Prince George became a big brother on May 2, 2015. The boy is third in line to succeed his great-grandmother, after his grandfather Charles and his father.
Image: Reuters
Fourth in line, Princess Charlotte
George's little sister, Princess Charlotte Elizabeth Diana, was born on May 2, 2015. Her name, which honors both her grandmother and great-grandmother, was announced two days later. This photo shows her at the age of one in 2016. Following changes in the rules of succession privileging male heirs, Princess Charlotte remains fourth in line to the throne, even though she now has a baby brother.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/Hrh The Duchess Of Cambridge/Han
Cheerful Queen
These happy chubby cheeks belong to none other than Queen Elizabeth II. She is in the arms of her mother Elizabeth, the Duchess of York. Her father was the future King George VI. Elizabeth II's birth was a difficult one: The heiress to the throne was finally delivered via C-section on April 21, 1926. She grew up with her younger sister Margaret (1930-2002). Today, she is 92 years old.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa
His Royal Highness, in diapers
This young boy was born on June 10, 1921. At the time, Philip, Duke of Edinburgh didn't realize that about 25 years later he would be asking the hand of a future queen in marriage: Elizabeth II. Philip's father had already arranged a meeting with the then 13-year-old heiress to the throne in 1939. At the time, Philip was still a student at the Royal Naval College. He died on April 9, 2021.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa
Do you recognize this one?
Charles Philip Arthur George, better known as Prince Charles, was born on November 14, 1948. When he was four years old, his mother, Elizabeth II, ascended the throne. As the eldest child, Charles is the royal heir and Duke of Cornwall.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa
Princess of hearts
This baby would later become royal. Lady Di was born on July 1, 1961. In 1981, she married Prince Charles under the eyes of some 750 million television viewers worldwide. The failure of their marriage would be just as publicized. Diana's death in a car accident on the night of August 31, 1997 would be followed by another media frenzy. Her fans still mourn her today.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa
A smiling Prince William
Prince William Arthur Philip Louis Mountbatten-Windsor was born on June 21, 1982 in London. After their parents separated in 1992, William and his brother Harry lived alternately with Princess Diana in London's Kensington Palace or with their father and grandmother Elizabeth II at the Royal Court.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa
Harry, prince popular
His real name is Prince Henry Charles Albert David Mountbatten-Windsor. But the world prefers to simply call him Prince Harry. The sandy-haired baby was born on September 15, 1984. Harry's excessive partying as a teenager would later make tabloid headlines. He managed to get rid of his bad-boy image, and later married Meghan Markle. They now have children of their own.
