After two months of anticipation, the public has finally been given its first proper look at Archie Harrison, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's baby boy. The royal couple chose to release two brand new images of their son in celebration of his christening on 6 July. The new snapshots, which were uploaded to Harry and Meghan's Instagram account, show the couple sat in the Green Drawing Room at Windsor Castle, surrounded by immediate family including the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall, and Meghan's mum Doria Ragland. Little Archie can be seen sitting peacefully on mum Meghan's lap, while proud dad Harry sits on the green sofa beside them.
Gorgeous!
Another beautiful image, this time in black and white, shows Harry and Meghan craddling their newborn in the Rose Garden at Windsor Castle. The images were taken by photographer Chris Allerton, the man responsible for taking Harry and Meghan's behind-the-scenes wedding photos and also pictures of little Archie being introduced to the Queen. Following the ceremony, a Royal Communications spokesperson said: "The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are overjoyed to share the happiness of this day, and would like to thank everyone around the world for their ongoing support. They feel so fortunate to have enjoyed this special moment with family and Archie’s godparents."
How beautiful is Archie!
The service on Saturday followed royal tradition, with Archie dressed in the same replica Honiton gown previously worn by his cousins Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis. The replica gown was created to replace the original robe commissioned by Queen Victoria for the christening of her daughter, Princess Victoria, in 1841. Having been worn by 62 royal babies over 163 years, the original gown was deemed too fragile to use in 2004, and the Queen commissioned a copy, which has been used by the royal family ever since.
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The christening was an intimate gathering of fewer than 25 people. It was held in the private chapel inside Windsor Castle, rather than at St George's Chapel, where Harry and Meghan were married last year and where Harry himself was christened in 1984. Archie's proud grandfather Prince Charles and his wife, the Duchess of Cornwall, were among the guests, alongside Prince William and Duchess Kate, and Meghan's mother Doria Ragland. Little Archie's godparents – whose identities have not been disclosed – were also in attendance. Archie's great-grandmother the Queen was unable to attend because of a prior commitment. Her busy schedule meant she also missed the christening of Archie's cousin Prince Louis last year.
