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Prince George Will Be Christened At Chapel Royal, St James’s Palace, 23rd October

28 September, 2013 Posted by Stacey under Royalty
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Their Royal Highnesses, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are going to break with recent royal tradition and have their son, Prince George, christened at St James’s Palace. The couple have chosen to hold an intimate ceremony at The Chapel Royal on October 23rd, surrounded by only their closest family and friends. The ceremony will be conduced by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby.

Most likely Prince George will be christened in a replica Honiton lace gown that was worn by Queen Victoria’s eldest daughter in 1841. The original lace and satin robe was specially crafted for Victoria, the Princess Royal, and used by many generations of royal infants including The Duke Of Cambridge himself. Prince Edward’s daughter, Lady Louise Windsor, was the last royal baby to wear the robe in 2004.

The Queen then commissioned an identical handmade copy so the 172-year historic outfit could be carefully preserved. It was made by the Queen’s dresser Angela Kelly and her team of dressmakers at Buckingham Palace.

Yesterday, the Houses of Middleton and Windsor were entwined.The Duchess of Cambridge’s personal emblem was linked, for the first time, with her husbands to create the new Conjugal Coat of Arms. It was designed by the College of Arms in London, it represents William and Catherine, in heraldic terms, as a married couple.

via the Daily Mail:

The two thin white chevrons on either side indicate, remarkably, the family’s love of skiing and mountains, while the background colours of red and blue were chosen as they are the principal colours of the flag of the UK and match William’s own shield. William’s design is a version of the Royal Coat of Arms which was granted to him by the Queen on his 18th birthday. It shows the various royal emblems of the United Kingdom: the three lions of England, the lion of Scotland and the harp of Ireland. It is surrounded by a blue garter bearing the motto Honi soit qui mal y pense – Shame to those who think evil of it – which symbolises the Order of the Garter of which he is a Knight Companion.

Both shields are supported by the Duke of Cambridge’s ‘supporters’ – a royal lion and unicorn, each wearing a three pointed collar, known as a label. The label has a red scallop shell derived from the Spencer coat of arms, which has been used by the ancestors of Princess Diana for centuries. Flowing out from the top of the Conjugal Coat of Arms is ‘mantling’, which represents the slashed cloth hung around the necks of knights fighting in the heat of the Middle East during the Crusades.

Timothy Duke, of the College of Arms, said: ‘Any married couple who are both entitled to arms are entitled to combine them in a  Conjugal Coat of Arms.

‘There are different rules and conventions as to how this works, depending on who the individual is, but as the Duke of Cambridge is a Knight of the Order of the Garter his is encircled by the blue garter bearing its motto.

‘As his wife is not, a wreath was made to balance hers out decoratively. Obviously that will change if she, in the future, is made a member herself.’

A spokesman for Kensington  Palace added: ‘The Conjugal Arms will be the couple’s coat of arms forever, but parts of it could change as their own circumstances and roles change.

‘It was approved by the Queen earlier this year and can now be shown publicly for the first time.

Coat of Arms information, Reported by the Daily Mail.



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