JUST like his siblings Prince George and Princess Charlotte, the new royal baby, Prince Louis, wore a traditional christening gown for his inauguration into the church. In a tradition spanning hundreds of years, royal babies are christened soon after they’re born and an official portrait is released to mark the occasion. 5 The original gown was commissioned by Queen Victoria Credit: Alamy Did Prince Louis wear the same christening gown as Prince George and Princess Charlotte? Prince Louis wore the same gown that Prince George and Princess Charlotte wore when he was christened on Monday, July 9. The robe was made by Angela Kelly in 2008 and was commissioned by the Queen. His older brother Prince George was christened by the Archbishop of Canterbury in the Chapel Royal at St James’s Palace, on October 23 2013. And his sister was christened Charlotte Elizabeth Diana by the Archbishop of Canterbury at St. Mary Magdalene Church, on July 5 2015. Prince Louis'christening took place at The Chapel Royal just like his older brother. 5 Prince Louis wore the exact same christening robe as his siblings Credit: Reuters 5 Sadly the Queen missed the christening as she was travelling back from Norfolk Credit: AP:Associated Press What’s the gown history? Princess Charlotte was only the fifth child to wear the gown, and Prince Louis was the sixth. The gown has such a short history as it is a replica of the Royal Christening Gown, made in 2008 by Angela Kelly. The original was made in 1841 and commissioned by Queen Victoria for her firstborn, Princess Victoria. It was styled after her own wedding dress, and was made of Spitalfields lace with a Honiton lace overlay. In her diary Queen Victoria described it as: "A white Honiton point lace robe and mantle over white satin." She added her daughter looked “very dear” in it. 5 The original gown worn by Prince William was hand-washed with spring water after each use Credit: Alamy Over the next 163 years all royal babies wore the gown for their christening, including the Queen, Prince Charles and Prince William. In total 62 babies were christened in the original Victorian gown. After each use it was hand-washed with spring water and stored in a dark room. 5 It was used in the christening of every royal baby Credit: Alamy MORE ON PRINCE LOUIS MARKED CONTRAST How Meghan's baby will have a different life to George, Charlotte & Louis BUY GEORGE How George, Charlotte and Louis are growing up to be style icons just like Kate ROYAL SORROW Kate & William reveal the kids are missing ‘much loved’ Philip in sweet cards HEIR THERE Princess Charlotte copies mum Kate as she wears handbag on day out with new pup Exclusive WHEELS UP Prince Louis boosts British cycle firm as they sell out of his balance bike KEEPING IT IN THE FAMILY What is Prince Louis' surname? Here's everything you need to know But after Lady Louise Windsor wore it in 2004, senior dresser to the Queen, Angela Kelly, deemed it too fragile to be used anymore. She commissioned a new one to be made, which was first worn by James, Viscount Severn. In the years that followed it has also been worn by Savannah and Isla Phillips, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.<doc-sep>Kensington Palace released four photos to mark the christening of Prince Louis on Sunday (July 15). The photos were taken by Matt Holyoak after the prince's baptism at St. James' Chapel on July 9 at Clarence House in London. In the images, Prince Louis is surrounded by his parents Prince William and Kate the Duchess of Cambridge, his siblings Princess Charlotte, 3, and Prince George, 4, as well as their extended family. In one image, the prince is shown being held by his mother in a garden while wearing a royal christening gown -- a replica of the robe made for Queen Victoria’s eldest daughter in 1841.<doc-sep>The water and baptismal font have very special significance. Like Princess Charlotte and Prince George, special sterilized water was delivered from the Jordan River in the Middle East for the ceremony. Express confirms that "the tradition is a nod to the royal family's faith and the river is where Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist." Like the water, the baptismal font also bores deep ties to tradition. Brit + Co reports that the royals have used the golden Lily Font since it was first commissioned by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert in 1840. It's been used to baptize members of the royal family for the past 178 years, including Prince George and Princess Charlotte.<doc-sep>
When Prince Louis was christened Monday in the Chapel Royal at St. James' Palace in London, he wore a 10-year-old gown with a centuries-spanning royal history. Louis' gown is a near-exact replica of the garment that was first worn in 1841 by Queen Victoria's eldest daughter, Princess Victoria. Inspired by the design of Victoria's wedding dress and believed to have been made of the same silk and lace, the garment was worn by 62 royal babies at their christenings over the next 163 years, including Prince Charles, Prince William, and Prince Harry. After the christening of Lady Louise Windsor in 2004, the original gown was deemed too fragile, and in 2008, Queen Elizabeth II's dresser, Angela Kelly, and Buckingham Palace's team of dressmakers created a new garment for future royal christenings. The first baby to wear the new gown was James, Lady Louise's younger brother, in 2008. Since then, it's been worn by Louis' siblings, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, as well as other royal offspring. Prince Louis' christening:Will, Kate, George and Charlotte, plus Harry and Meghan, lead celebration What Meghan wore:Duchess Meghan wears olive Ralph Lauren dress to baptism of Prince Louis Prince Louis' christening was the first time the public has seen the Cambridge family of five together since the baby's birth on April 23. Louis is the sixth great-grandchild of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, and fifth in line to the throne. Baptized with the full name of Louis Arthur Charles of Cambridge, he was celebrated in a private ceremony in the same small chapel whereGeorge was christened in October 2013. Alongside Louis' parents, Prince William and Duchess Kate, were his grandfather, Prince Charles, and his wife, Duchess Camilla of Cornwall; his uncle Prince Harry and wife Duchess Meghan of Sussex; his maternal grandparents, Carole and Michael Middleton; his aunt Pippa Middleton Matthews and her husband, James Matthews; and uncle James Middleton.