The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are preparing for a very special family gathering when their baby son Archie is christened on Saturday 6 July. The ceremony will be an intimate gathering of fewer than 25 people and will take place in the private chapel insideWindsor Castle, rather than at St George's Chapel where the Duke and Duchess were married and where Harry himself was christened in 1984.
Prince Harry and Meghan's son Archie will be christened on 6 July
The intimate christening will be conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury. Archie's proud grandfather Prince Charles and his wife, the Duchess of Cornwall, will be among the guests, alongside Prince William and Duchess Kate, and Meghan's mother Doria Ragland. Archie's great-grandmother the Queen is 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.
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The royal christening will be private
It was revealed on Saturday that Archie, who will be exactly two months old on the special day, will wear the handmade replica of the Royal Christening Robe, made by dressmaker to the Queen Angela Kelly. After clothing 62 royal babies for their christenings over 163 years, the original gown was deemed too fragile to use in 2004 and the Queen commissioned a copy, which has been used ever since.
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The Lily Font - a feature of many royal christenings - and water from the River Jordan will be used during the baptism, and some members of the St George’s Chapel Choir will sing at the ceremony. Official family photographs will be taken in the Green Drawing Room and released later in the afternoon.
The Duke and Duchess have decided not to release details of Archie's godparents - in a statement, Buckingham Palace confirmed: "The godparents, in keeping with their wishes, will remain private."
However, Meghan's close friend Jessica Mulroney, who will fly in from Toronto, is tipped to be godmother. Other close friends in the running to be godparents include Harry's mentor Mark Dyer - whose son Jasper was a pageboy at the royal wedding - and Soho House director Markus Anderson, a close friend of the couple.
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