The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have unveiled the official photographs from the christening of their third child, Prince Louis, one week after the ceremony.
The photographs were taken in the Morning Room of Clarence House, giving the images the same backdrop as Prince George’s christening portraits from 2013, before the royal family, the Middletons and Prince Louis’ godparents enjoyed afternoon tea (on the menu? Slices of fruit cake preserved since William and Kate’s 2011 wedding day…).
The first is a group shot showing the Duke and Duchess with their children and relatives from both sides of the family, featuring the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, the Duchess of Cornwall and Prince Charles, Carole and Michael Middleton, Kate’s sister Pippa and her husband James Matthews, and brother James Middleton. While the Queen is not present (she and her husband Prince Philip did not attend the ceremony), her likeness does still feature in the photo: look just behind Michael Middleton’s head and you’ll spot an oil portrait of Her Majesty, painted by Michael Noakes in 1973.
Members of the royal family (including the Duchess of Sussex, linking her arm through her husband’s) appear in the second picture, with Prince George grinning as he sits on his father’s knee and Princess Charlotte apparently distracted from the camera by her baby brother.
A third shows the Cambridge family in an image that recalls their Christmas portrait from last year; it’s the family’s first official picture as a five.
The final image released last night was shot in the gardens of St James’s Palace.
In addition to Prince Louis’ official christening portraits, the Duke and Duchess unveiled a final, more candid image of Kate and a smiling baby Louis, which was captured by Camera Press’s Matt Porteous, who photographed Prince George for his third birthday.
“The Duke and Duchess hope that everyone enjoys this lovely photograph of Prince Louis as much as they do,” a Palace tweet said.
Speaking of his experience capturing this special event on film, Matt Holyoak, who previously shot the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh on their 70th wedding anniversary, said: “I was truly honoured at being asked to take the official photographs at the christening of Prince Louis, and to witness first hand such a happy event.”
“Everyone was so relaxed and in such a happy event. Everyone was so relaxed and in such good spirits, it was an absolute pleasure. I only hope I have captured some of that joy in my photographs,” he concluded.
Via our sister site Grazia.