Princess Charlotte's godparents have been revealed. Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge, née Kate Middleton, unveiled their choices through a statement released by Kensington Palace for the special role as they prepared for the christening of their little girl on Sunday 5 July.
Princess Charlotte has five godparents
The proud parents have turned to their circle of trusted friends for the important roles. Prince William's close friends Tom van Straubenzee and James Meade have been named godfathers, while Kate turned to lifelong friend Sophie Carter to take on the role as godmother.
Tom van Straubenzee is a very close friend of William's
It's traditional in royal circles to have several godparents. Princes William and Harry both had six godparents, while Prince George had seven. Charlotte Elizabeth Diana – to give the baby Princess her full name – has five.
William and Kate also chose members of their respective families as godparents, with both royals honouring one of their cousins with the title. William chose cousin Laura Fellowes in what is likely a tribute to his late mother Diana, Princess of Wales - Laura is the daughter of Diana's older sister Cynthia Jane Fellowes. Meanwhile Kate turned to cousin Adam Middleton, whose wedding she attended last summer.
The couple have also chosen William's cousin Laura Fellowes, a touching tribute to his late mother
Many royal fans were surprised to see that Prince Harry did not feature on the list - it could be that as little Charlotte's uncle, he will be so close to her that the Duke and Duchess perhaps felt they did not need to give him the title of godparent. The same could be said of Pippa Middleton.
The Princess, who is the Queen's fifth great-grandchild, will be baptised in St Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham, Norfolk. The 16th-century chapel has long had links with the royal family, having hosted the christenings of Princess Diana in 1961 and Princess Eugenie in 1990.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge with Prince George at his christening
Every Christmas the monarch traditionally greets well-wishers after morning service at the church near her Sandringham estate.
Excitement has been building ahead of the ceremony with well-wishers gathering all morning to await the arrival of the royal family. Although the christening service is expected to be private, William and Kate have asked for the paddock outside of the church to be opened to the public so that royal enthusiasts can get a glimpse of the newest addition to the royal family.
Flowers brought by members of the public will be donated to EACH, a charity which provides hospice care for sick children. The thoughtful gesture, just like the choice of godparents, reflects the kind of upbringing the Duke and Duchess want for their children.
"It's an important role," royal expert Victoria Arbiter told HELLO! when Charlotte was born.
"A godparent is there to provide religious guidance. It's also somebody who is there other than a parent or family member that a child could turn to. Some royals have had as many as 12, so the possibility of people to be named can be a little tricky."
"William and Kate are so keen to keep things on the down low and pretty chill," added Victoria. "They want someone who is close to them and that they can trust."