Proud royal family unveil official photos of Prince Louis christening showing off the five-strong Cambridge clan for the first time
The historic portraits were taken at Clarence House before the private ceremony last week and show the royals in 'high spirits'
THE first official pictures of all five members of the Cambridge family along with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been unveiled.
The collection of four family snaps were released to mark the christening of Prince Louis and show the family in “high spirits”, beaming at the camera.
In one photo newlywed Meghan, 36, wearing an olive green Ralph Lauren outfit and Stephen Jones hat, tenderly links her hand through hubby Harry’s arm - an affectionate gesture not being carried out by other couples in the collection.
The same image also shows the Duchess of Cambridge, 36, wearing in a calf-length white dress by Alexander McQueen and Jane Taylor hat, glowing as she cradles baby Louis and is flanked by Prince George, aged four, and Princess Charlotte, aged three, who gazes lovingly at her baby brother.
Other family members in the series of four pictures, which were released by Kensington Palace, are grandparents Prince Charles and Camilla, Carole Middleton, Michael Middleton, Pippa Matthews, James Matthews and James Middleton.
In one photo, Kate and William are joined by their children, along with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall, and the Middleton family including Kate's sister Pippa Matthews and her husband James.
Members of the Royal Family appear in another photo without the Middletons and a third photo features the Cambridge five and the fourth photo is an image of just Kate and Louis.
The photographs were taken in the morning room and garden at Clarence House.
Prince Louis was then christened in a private, 40-minute ceremony conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby in the Chapel Royal last Monday.
It was one of the first glimpses the public have had of the young prince, who appeared to be sleeping, and wore a gown which is a replica of the royal christening robe, a white lace, satin-lined dress first worn in 1841.
It had been reproduced by dressmaker to the Queen Angela Kelly and was worn by his older siblings, George and Charlotte at their christenings.
Little Louis, who is fifth in line to the throne, is to have six godparents.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge chose two hymns, two lessons and two anthems for the christening of their son. The Hymns were O Jesus, I Have Promised and Lord of All Hopefulness.
The lessons were from Mark 10: 13-16, read by godparents Lucy Middleton and Ephesians 3: 14-19, read by Guy Pelly.
The anthems were This is the day which the Lord hath made, which was composed for the Cambridges' Wedding in 2011, and Suo Gân, a traditional Welsh lullaby.
Both were performed by The Choir of Her Majesty's Chapel Royal.
The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh did not attend the christening however, after a busy week of high-profile events in central London and ahead of a visit by US President Donald Trump.
Kensington Palace said that the Queen's non-attendance is not related to illness, but was mutually agreed some time ago.
The christening was described as a small affair with immediate family and godparents.
The godparents are close friends of the royal couple Nicholas van Cutsem, Mr Pelly, Harry Aubrey-Fletcher, Lady Laura Meade, Hannah Gillingham and Miss Middleton to be godparents for their youngest child.
The photographer who took the snap, Matt Holyoak said: "I was truly honoured at being asked to take the official photographs at the christening of Prince Louis, and to witness at first hand 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."
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