Prince Louis christening gown – was it worn by Prince George and Princess Charlotte and what’s the history?
JUST like his siblings Prince George and Princess Charlotte, the new royal baby, Prince Louis, wore a traditional christening gown for his inauguration into the church.
In a tradition spanning hundreds of years, royal babies are christened soon after they’re born and an official portrait is released to mark the occasion.
Did Prince Louis wear the same christening gown as Prince George and Princess Charlotte?
Prince Louis wore the same gown that Prince George and Princess Charlotte wore when he was christened on Monday, July 9.
The robe was made by Angela Kelly in 2008 and was commissioned by the Queen.
His older brother Prince George was christened by the Archbishop of Canterbury in the Chapel Royal at St James’s Palace, on October 23 2013.
And his sister was christened Charlotte Elizabeth Diana by the Archbishop of Canterbury at St. Mary Magdalene Church, on July 5 2015.
Prince Louis’christening took place at The Chapel Royal just like his older brother.
What’s the gown history?
Princess Charlotte was only the fifth child to wear the gown, and Prince Louis was the sixth.
The gown has such a short history as it is a replica of the Royal Christening Gown, made in 2008 by Angela Kelly.
The original was made in 1841 and commissioned by Queen Victoria for her firstborn, Princess Victoria.
It was styled after her own wedding dress, and was made of Spitalfields lace with a Honiton lace overlay.
In her diary Queen Victoria described it as: “A white Honiton point lace robe and mantle over white satin.”
She added her daughter looked “very dear” in it.
Over the next 163 years all royal babies wore the gown for their christening, including the Queen, Prince Charles and Prince William.
In total 62 babies were christened in the original Victorian gown.
After each use it was hand-washed with spring water and stored in a dark room.
But after Lady Louise Windsor wore it in 2004, senior dresser to the Queen, Angela Kelly, deemed it too fragile to be used anymore.
She commissioned a new one to be made, which was first worn by James, Viscount Severn.
In the years that followed it has also been worn by Savannah and Isla Phillips, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.