Princess Charlotte was christened Sunday in a small ceremony attended by family and close friends of her parents, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
The private ceremony took place at St. Mary Magdalene, the same countryside church where Charlotte’s grandmother, Princess Diana, was baptized. The church is located on Queen Elizabeth’s Sandringham estate in Norfolk, just outside of London.
Prior to the ceremony, the family walked into the church in what was their first public appearance together as a family of four.
While George walked holding his father's hand, Princess Charlotte rode in the Queen's Pram, pushed by her mother.
Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby officiated the christening, just as he did for Charlotte’s older brother, Prince George, at his baptism two years ago at St. James’s Palace in London.
Charlotte was christened with water flown in from the River Jordan, and was baptized at the Lily Font, which was commissioned by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert in 1840 after the birth of their first child, Victoria. The font was first used at The Princess Royal’s christening in 1841 and has been a feature of Royal christenings since then.
Also like her older brother, Princess Charlotte wore the royal christening gown, a replica of the gown first worn by Queen Victoria’s daughter and then passed down through the generations. Made out of ornate lace, the original long 19th century gown was last worn by Lady Louise Windsor, Prince Edward’s daughter. It was replaced with a replica after the original was deemed too fragile for continued use.
Guests included great-grandparents Queen Elizabeth and Duke of Edinburgh Prince Phillip, Prince Charles, Duchess of Cornwall Camilla and Michael and Carole Middleton. Missing from the ceremony was Prince Harry, who will spend the next three months in southern Africa to work on numerous field-based conservation projects.
Prior to the christening, Kensington Palace announced that Prince William and Duchess Catherine chose five godparents for Princess Charlotte, who include William's cousin Laura Fellowes, Kate's cousin Adam Middleton, and three of the couple's friends: Sophie Carter, James Meade and Thomas van Straubenzee.
Duchess Catherine, as she did during Prince George's christening, wore Alexander McQueen.
Mario Testino, the celebrity photographer who took the engagement photo of Charlotte's parents, served as the official photographer for the christening.
Princess Charlotte is the fourth in line to the British throne, behind her brother, their father, Prince William, and grandfather, Prince Charles.
The baptism gave the world the second chance to see the baby princess since she was born May 2 and stepped outside cradled by her mother as they prepared to leave the hospital and go home.
A month later, Kensington Palace released four photos Duchess Kate had taken of Charlotte and her big brother at their home in Anmer Hall, the royal couple's country home.
Seven godparents were chosen for George’s christening in October 2013. Following that ceremony, the family took a series of royal family portraits, including one of Queen Elizabeth with her three direct heirs to the throne.