Harry and Meghan's attitude on christening shows 'petulance'
One royal commentator says the couple's attitude over their son's christening could do long-term harm in public opinion.
Saturday 6 July 2019 16:18, UK
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are "trying to draw a line in the sand" on how they engage with the media and protect their privacy by keeping their son's christening private, according to a royal biographer.
The couple's two-month-old baby boy, Archie Harrison Mountbatten Windsor, will be christened later today at Windsor Castle, where they were married and close to their home Frogmore Cottage on the Windsor estate.
But there will be no access for television cameras or news photographers, even as the family arrive at the chapel.
Duncan Larcombe, author of Prince Harry - The Inside Story and former royal editor for The Sun, said he believes the decision to keep out the press is only increasing the hype around what should be a small family occasion.
He also said it could affect public opinion about Harry and Meghan in the future.
He told Sky News: "It's disappointing for me because I really like Harry and I've known him for a long time.
"But it seems like there is a pettiness and a truculence since he got married, since perhaps news of their relationship became public, I think you can trace it back to then - the sort of petulance that, over a longer period of time, could do him a lot of harm."
Christenings for royal children have traditionally involved a small media moment or photo opportunity but Harry and Meghan's decision to do things differently has led to debate about whether such an event should be completely private when you are a member of the monarchy.
Earlier in the week the palace confirmed the occasion would be a "small private ceremony" and that the identities of the baby's godparents would also be private "in keeping with their wishes".
But Meghan might have given the game away by taking her two university friends, Lindsay Roth and Genevieve Hillis, to Wimbledon on Thursday to watch her friend Serena Williams play.
There have, however, been some details released about the christening, which will reflect important royal traditions. The Lily Font and water from the River Jordan will be used during the baptism. Archie will also wear the handmade replica of the Royal Christening Robe.
The original Royal Christening Robe, made of fine Honiton lace lined with white satin, was made in 1841 for the christening of Queen Victoria's first child, Victoria, Princess Royal. It was worn for all royal christenings, including the Queen, her children and her grandchildren, until the youngest of the Queen's eight grandchildren, James, Viscount Severn. But the Queen then commissioned her dressmaker Angela Kelly to make a replica in order to preserve the original. James, Viscount Severn, was the first member of the Royal Family to wear this replica gown on 19 April, 2008.
The Lily Font is a silver baptismal font commissioned by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert in 1840 after the birth of Victoria, Princess Royal. It was first used at the Princess Royal's christening in 1841 and has been a feature of royal christenings since then.
The couple will release official photographs which they have chosen on Saturday afternoon.