October 24, 2013

Prince George's Christening Portraits Revealed—See the Royal Family in the Official Photos!

Prince George Christening, Official Portrait

The official portraits from Prince George's christening are here!

And yes, they are as elegant and delightful as you would expect from the stylish royals.

Just one day after the royal christening, Kensington Palace released four formal photographs, taken by Jason Bell in the Morning Room at Clarence House on Wednesday, Oct. 23, according to a statement from the palace.
The first photograph features the entire family: Queen Elizabeth II, Kate Middleton holding her son on her lap and Prince William seated, while Prince Phillip, Prince Charles, Camilla Parker Bowles, Prince Harry, Pippa Middleton, James Middleton, and Kate's parents, Michael and Carole Middleton are standing.

Prince George Christening, Official Portrait

The second photograph features four generations of royals: Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Charles and Prince William, who holds Prince George. This is the first photograph of the Queen, and the next three kings, pictured together.

Prince George Christening, Official Portrait

The third photograph is Prince George with his proud parents, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Prince George appears active and vibrant, with his little mouth open and his arms raised.

So precious!

Prince George Christening, Official Portrait

The fourth photograph is very similar to the first portrait, however the Middleton family is not present. Everyone is looking at the camera, except for the Queen, who is adoringly gazing at her great-grandson. Prince George is looking straight ahead, not making eye contact with his great-grandmother!

Prince George is wearing the handmade royal christening robe, made by Angela Kelly, dressmaker to Queen Elizabeth II.

The Morning Room, where the photo session took place, is steeped in rich tradition, which dates back hundreds of years. It was originally the Breakfast Room in John Nash's original design for the Duke of Clarence in 1825-1827.

The sofa, on which the group is seated, dates from about 1773 and is part of "a suite of gilt-wood seat furniture by Thomas Chippendale."

Plenty of artwork and other portraits decorate the ornate room, including a bronze bust of a young Queen Elizabeth II and a matching bust of her sister, Princess Margaret on a visible cabinet. An oil portrait of the young queen and her sister hangs above the same cabinet.

If you look closely in some of the images, you can see two photographs: one features Prince Charles and Prince Harry in Zulu Village, South Africa, in 1997 and another shows Prince Harry as a toddler.

It was a small affair at the christening, only 23 guests were present. In addition to the royal family and the Middleton family, George's seven godparents and the six spouses among them and William's former nanny turned George's part-time nanny, Jessie Webb, marked the celebration.

"It has been a tremendously joyful occasion for everyone involved," a Kensington Palace spokesperson said in a statement issued after the 35-minute ceremony.

After the ceremony, it was back to Clarence House for tea and the top tier of Will and Kate's wedding cake. It's a British tradition for couples to freeze the top of their cake and then serve it at their firstborn child's baptism.

The royal wedding cake was an eight-tiered spiced fruitcake (they're not just for Christmas in the U.K.!), made by pastry chef Fiona Cairns.

Prince George Christening, Official Portrait

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