lady louise christening© Photo: Getty Images

Lady Louise Windsor was last royal baby to have this special tradition

The Earl and Countess of Wessex's daughter was born in November 2003

Online Royal CorrespondentLondon
January 31, 2023

The Earl and Countess of Wessex's daughter, Lady Louise Windsor, made history at her royal christening.

The then five-month-old tot was baptised at the private chapel in Windsor in April 2004, and she was the last royal baby to wear the original royal christening gown.

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The Honiton and lace gown dated back to 1841 when it was created for Victoria, Princess Royal's christening. It was used by the royal family until 2004, by which point it had been worn by 62 royal children, including King Charles and his sons, Prince William and Prince Harry.

The late Queen Elizabeth II commissioned her personal wardrobe advisor, Angela Kelly, to create a replica of the 1841 royal christening gown, which had become too delicate.

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© Photo: Getty Images

Prince William wearing the original royal christening gown

The replica was first worn by Lady Louise's younger brother, James, Viscount Severn, at his baptism in 2008.

The replica royal christening gown was most recently used for the christening of Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi's daughter, Sienna, in April 2022.

Lady Louise, who was born one month prematurely at Frimley Park Hospital in November 2003, is currently studying English at the University of St Andrews – where her older cousin, Prince William, met his future wife, Kate Middleton.

© Photo: Getty Images

Prince Louis wearing the replica royal christening gown in 2018

Prince Edward and Sophie chose five godparents for their daughter – the Earl's cousins, Lady Sarah Chatto, Lord Ivor Mountbatten and Lady Alexandra Etherington, as well as the couple's friends, Rupert Elliott and Francesca Schwarzenbach.

While Edward and Sophie carry out full-time royal duties, it is expected that Lady Louise and James will forge their own career paths in future.

In an interview with The Sunday Times in 2020, Sophie said that she and Edward raised their children with the understanding that they are "very likely to have to work for a living".

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