Prince Louis’s christening: everything you need to know

Prince Louis, fifth in line to the throne, will be christened later today.

It will be the first royal engagement for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s youngest child, who was born on 23 April this year.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are expected to attend the 40-minute ceremony, as are the Duchess of Cambridge’s sister and brother, Pippa Matthews and James Middleton. Both sets of grandparents, Prince Charles and Camilla and Carole and Michael Middleton, will also be at the church.

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However, the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh will not be there.

So when will the royal baby be baptised?

The christening will take place in a private ceremony at 4pm today. This will make him around three months old. “The good news for his football-loving dad, Prince William, is that 9 July is one of the rest days in the World Cup,” notes the BBC.

Where will the christening be?

The Chapel Royal at St James’s Palace in London, where his older brother Prince George was christened.

“As Royal tradition dictates, Prince Louis will be baptised in the Lily Font bowl, christened with holy water from the River Jordan in the Middle East,” says the Daily Express.

“The Lily Font bowl was commissioned by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert in 1840 and is made of silver with botanical decorations. The Royal Family have used the sacred font in baptisms since its creation.”

Princess Charlotte was christened at the church of St Mary Magdalene in Sandringham in 2015, when holy water was apparently flown in from the River Jordan especially for the event.

Who will baptise him?

The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Reverend Justin Welby, who recently conducted the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s wedding in Windsor.

What will Louis wear?

According to the Daily Express, he will wear the same cream lace gown worn by George and Charlotte. It is a replica of the gown made in 1841 for Queen Victoria’s eldest daughter, Victoria, says the newspaper. The original gown was taken out of use in 2008 when it became too fragile to wear.

Who are his godparents?

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have chosen six godparents for Prince Louis, one more than Princess Charlotte and one less than Prince George. The latest group to get the honour are the Duchess’s cousin Lucy Middleton and the couple’s friends Nicholas van Cutsem, Guy Pelly, Harry Aubrey-Fletcher, Lady Laura Meade and Hannah Carter.