A royal christening gown is an item of baptismal clothing used by a royal family at family christenings. Among those presently using such a gown are the royal families of the United Kingdom, Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, and Sweden. In most of these families, the tradition goes back over a century: as of 2019, the Swedish gown has been in service for 113 years, the Dutch gown for 139 years, and the Danish gown for 149 years; the current British gown (a replica of the one used for 163 years) has been in use since 2008. The Spanish gown has been in use for 81 years.
While it is the tradition for these families to reuse the same gowns, some members of these families have decided to use their own purpose-bought gowns for their children. In 1867 for the christening of Prince Christian Victor of Schleswig-Holstein, his mother Princess Helena used a different gown given to her by her mother Queen Victoria; and Prince Joachim of Denmark has favoured using gowns by the Danish designer Henrik Hviid for his children, Count Nikolai, Count Felix, Count Henrik, and Countess Athena.
Designer | Janet Sutherland (original) Angela Kelly (replica) |
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Year | 1841 (original) 2008 (replica) |
Type | Baptismal clothing |
Material | Honiton lace Spitalfields silk satin |
The Honiton christening gown or simply royal christening gown is an item of baptismal clothing used by the British royal family at every christening. The original gown was created for the christening of Victoria, Princess Royal, in 1841 and was used by the family until 2004, when it was retired for conservation. [1] Elizabeth II commissioned a replica of the 1841 gown which was first used for the christening of her youngest grandson, James, Viscount Severn, in 2008; this replica gown is the one in use as of 2024.
In 1840, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert's first child, Princess Victoria, Princess Royal, was born. For the Princess Royal's christening on 10 February 1841, her parents commissioned both the Lily Font and a new christening gown. [2] The gown was designed by Janet Sutherland, who served as Embroiderer to the Queen. [3] It was made of Honiton lace and Spitalfields silk, and was fashioned after Queen Victoria's wedding dress. [1]
The gown was kept and reused by Victoria for all her children and for all her "English grandchildren" (the children of Albert Edward and Alexandra, Alfred and Marie, Arthur and Louise, Leopold and Helena, and Beatrice and Henry). [4] Subsequent generations of the family also continued to use it, including Victoria's great-grandson Lord Louis Mountbatten. [5]
Five kings, four queens, an empress and a crown princess were christened in the original gown: [1]
Child christened | Life dates | Date and place of christening | Parents |
---|---|---|---|
Victoria, Princess Royal (latterly Victoria, German Empress and Queen of Prussia as the wife of Frederick III, German Emperor ) | 21 November 1840 — 5 August 1901 | ||
Albert Edward, Prince of Wales (latterly King Edward VII of the United Kingdom) | 9 November 1841 — 6 May 1910 | ||
Prince George of Wales (latterly King George V of the United Kingdom) | 3 June 1865 — 20 January 1936 | 7 July 1865 — Windsor Castle | |
Princess Maud of Wales (latterly Queen Maud of Norway as the wife of King Haakon VII of Norway ) | 26 November 1869 — 20 November 1938 | ||
Princess Marie of Edinburgh (latterly Queen Marie of Romania as the wife of King Ferdinand I of Romania ) | 29 October 1875 — 18 July 1938 | 15 December 1875 — Windsor Castle | |
Princess Margaret of Connaught (latterly Crown Princess Margaret of Sweden as the wife of Crown Prince Gustaf Adolf of Sweden ) | 15 January 1882 — 1 May 1920 | 11 March 1882 — Windsor Castle | |
Princess Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg (latterly Queen Victoria Eugenie of Spain as the wife of King Alfonso XIII of Spain ) | 24 October 1887 — 15 April 1969 | ||
Prince Edward of York (latterly King Edward VIII of the United Kingdom) | 23 June 1894 — 28 May 1972 | ||
Prince Albert of York (latterly King George VI of the United Kingdom) | 14 December 1895 — 6 February 1952 | ||
Princess Elizabeth of York (latterly Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom) | 21 April 1926 — 8 September 2022 | 29 May 1926 — Buckingham Palace | |
Prince Charles of Edinburgh (latterly King Charles III of the United Kingdom) | 14 November 1948 — (age 76 years, 23 days old) | 15 December 1948 — Buckingham Palace |
In total, the original gown was used by 62 royal children over a period of 163 years, including by the current King, Charles III. [1] Both Charles' sons, his heir apparent William, Prince of Wales, and younger son Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, were christened in the original gown, while four of their children (George, Charlotte, Louis and Archie) were christened in the replica gown. [1] Lilibet, the daughter of Prince Harry, is not thought to have worn the gown for her christening. [6]
There are strict instructions relating to the care of the gown, including that it be washed by hand with spring water after each use and be stored in a dark room. These measures are meant to slow down the garment's aging process and to preserve it as much as possible. [2] In her journal entry for 15 December 1875, the day of Princess Marie of Edinburgh's christening, Queen Victoria said of the dress' condition: "The Baby was dressed in the old Christening robe, which will hardly hold together!" [7] At that time, the dress was 34 years old.
The 1841 gown was last used in 2004 at the christening of Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor, 163 years after its first use; Queen Elizabeth II subsequently decided it was too fragile for continued use and had the gown retired. The Queen then commissioned her personal wardrobe advisor Angela Kelly to recreate the original gown. Craftsmen from both the United Kingdom and Italy were involved in the project, so as to ensure that the new gown would be as similar to the original as possible. [1]
The replica gown was first used on 19 April 2008 at James, Earl of Wessex's christening, and has been in use ever since. The gown's most recent use was the christening of Princess Beatrice's daughter, Sienna Mapelli Mozzi, in April 2022.
Year | 1870 |
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Type | Baptismal clothing |
Material | Brussels lace |
The Dåbskjole (lit. christening gown) was first used in 1870 for the christening of Christian X of Denmark. This gown is made of Brussels lace, and was bought by Crown Princess Louise in Belgium for her eldest son's christening. [8]
Four kings and two queens have been baptised in this gown: [8]
Child christened | Life dates | Date and place of christening | Parents |
---|---|---|---|
Prince Christian of Denmark (latterly King Christian X of Denmark) | 26 September 1870 — 20 April 1947 | ||
Prince Carl of Denmark (latterly King Haakon VII of Norway) | 3 August 1872 — 21 September 1957 | ||
Prince Frederick of Denmark (latterly King Frederik IX of Denmark) | 11 March 1899 — 14 January 1972 | ||
Princess Margrethe of Denmark and Iceland (latterly Queen Margrethe II of Denmark) | 16 April 1940 (age 84 years, 235 days old) | ||
Princess Anne-Marie of Denmark (latterly Queen Anne-Marie of Greece as the wife of King Constantine II of Greece ) | 30 August 1946 (age 78 years, 99 days old) | 9 October 1946 — The Church of Holmen, Copenhagen | |
Prince Frederik of Denmark (latterly King Frederik X of Denmark) | 26 May 1968 (age 56 years, 195 days old) | 24 June 1968 — The Church of Holmen, Copenhagen |
King Frederik X's heir apparent, Crown Prince Christian, has also been baptised in the gown. The gown was most recently used in 2012 for the christening of Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary's son Prince Vincent. Rather than wearing the traditional family gown, Prince Joachim's children have worn gowns designed by Henrik Hviid, while Princess Josephine, Prince Vincent's twin sister, wore a gown found among Queen Ingrid's belongings. [9]
Designer | Anne Maria Schelfhout-Picnot |
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Year | 1880 |
Type | Baptismal clothing |
Material | Brussels lace |
The doopjurk (lit. christening gown) is an item of clothing used by the Dutch royal family at every christening. The original gown was commissioned by Queen Emma for the christening of her daughter Princess Wilhelmina in 1880. [10]
The Dutch gown has been worn by at least thirteen royal babies over 139 years, accounting for all monarchs since Wilhelmina and their children. [10]
In the Netherlands, a christening was usually the first time a royal baby was introduced to the public. Before Wilhelmina's christening in 1880, the mother of the child was not usually present at the service. It was also rare that christenings were held outside of churches. [11]
The gown was hand sewn by Anne Maria Schelfhout-Picnot, a clothing supplier to Queen Emma who specialized in infant clothing. Made of Brussels lace, the gown is decorated with floral motifs and the Dutch royal coat of arms. [10] Four Dutch monarchs have been baptised in this gown: [12]
Child christened | Life dates | Date and place of christening | Parents |
---|---|---|---|
Princess Wilhelmina of the Netherlands (latterly Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands) | 31 August 1880 — 28 November 1962 | ||
Princess Juliana of the Netherlands (latterly Queen Juliana of the Netherlands) | 30 April 1909 — 20 March 2004 | ||
Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands (latterly Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands) | 31 January 1938 (age 86 years, 311 days old) | ||
Prince Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands (latterly King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands) | 27 April 1967 (age 57 years, 224 days old) | 2 September 1967 — Great Church, The Hague |
King Willem-Alexander's heir apparent, Catharina-Amalia, Princess of Orange, and his other two daughters, Princess Alexia and Princess Ariane, have also been baptised in this gown. [10] The gown was most recently used at the christening of Princess Ariane in 2007. [10]
For other members of the Dutch royal house, such as Princess Margriet of the Netherlands and her family, christenings are private occasions, and most have taken place in the chapel of Het Loo Palace. It is also tradition that the baptism is conducted by the minister who officiated at the child's parents' wedding. [11]
Designer | Princess Ingeborg, Duchess of Västergötland |
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Year | 1920 |
Type | Baptismal clothing |
Material | Cotton and silk |
In the Norwegian royal family, all babies since 1920, with the exception of Princess Ingrid Alexandra, have been baptised in a robe that was handmade in 1920 by Princess Ingeborg, Crown Princess Märtha of Norway's mother, and thus grandmother of the current king, Harald. The robe's first wearer was Prince Georg of Denmark, one of Ingeborg's grandchildren, and has since been worn by many Norwegian royal children. The names of the babies are sewn in to the gown.
Princess Ingrid Alexandra, who as of 2022 is second in line to the Norwegian throne, was baptised in the chapel of the Royal Palace in Oslo on 17 April 2004, wearing the same gown as her great-grandfather King Olav V had worn when he was baptised as Prince Alexander Edward Christian Frederik of Denmark at Sandringham in 1903. This gown had been purchased for him by his grandmother, Queen Alexandra of the United Kingdom. [13]
Year | 1938 |
---|---|
Type | Baptismal clothing |
Material | Beige linen and satin |
The faldón de cristianar (lit. baptismal gown), is the gown used by the Spanish royal family. It was first commissioned in 1938 by the then-exiled Infante Juan and Infanta María de las Mercedes of Spain for their son, Infante Juan Carlos.[ citation needed ]
This gown is made of beige linen, with satin ribbons and hand-embroidered lace. [14]
The gown was first used for the christening of Juan Carlos I in 1938. At this time, the Spanish royal family were in exile in Rome during the Civil War, whilst Spain was under the dictatorship of Francisco Franco. The family were later permitted to return before Juan Carlos' installation as King of Spain, and the first use of the gown in Spain was for the christening of Infanta Elena, Duchess of Lugo in 1963. [14]
Two Spanish monarchs have been christened in this gown: [14]
Child christened | Life dates | Date and place of christening | Parents |
---|---|---|---|
Infante Juan Carlos of Spain (latterly King Juan Carlos I of Spain) | 5 January 1938 (age 86 years, 337 days old) | ||
Infante Felipe of Spain (latterly King Felipe VI of Spain) | 30 January 1968 (age 56 years, 312 days old) |
The other members of the royal family baptised in this gown are: [14]
Year | 1906 |
---|---|
Type | Baptismal clothing |
Material | Cotton batiste Valenciennes lace Silk |
The Dopklänning (also lit. christening gown), has been in the Swedish royal family's use since the christening of Prince Gustaf Adolf, Duke of Västerbotten in 1906. This gown is made of cotton batiste and Valenciennes lace, with a silk undergarment. [15]
At Princess Margaretha's christening in 1935, her parents, The Duke and Duchess of Västerbotten, commissioned a cream-colored cape and cap to be added to the gown. All the names and dates of the baptisms the gown has been used for since then have been embroidered into the cape. [15]
One king and one queen have been christened in this gown: [16]
Child christened | Life dates | Date and place of christening | Parents |
---|---|---|---|
Princess Ingrid of Sweden (latterly Queen Ingrid of Denmark as the wife of King Frederik IX of Denmark ) | 28 March 1910 — 7 November 2000 | ||
Prince Carl Gustaf, Duke of Jämtland (latterly King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden) | 30 April 1946 (age 78 years, 221 days old) | 7 June 1946 — Slottskyrkan, Stockholm |
The other royals baptised in this gown are: [16]
The gown has been worn by more than twenty royals over 110 years, and was most recently used at the christening of Prince Carl Philip's son, Prince Julian, in 2021. [17]
Infanta Cristina is the younger daughter of King Juan Carlos I and his wife, Queen Sofía. She is sixth in the line of succession to the Spanish throne, after her brother King Felipe VI's children, her sister Infanta Elena, Duchess of Lugo, and Elena's children.
Princess Margaret of Connaught was Crown Princess of Sweden as the first wife of the future King Gustaf VI Adolf. She was the elder daughter of Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught, third son of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom, and his wife Princess Louise Margaret of Prussia. Known in Sweden as Margareta, her marriage produced five children.
Succession to the Spanish throne follows male-preference cognatic primogeniture. A dynast who marries against the express prohibition of the monarch and the Cortes Generales, the legislative chamber of Spain, is excluded from the succession. Upon proclamation by the Cortes Generales, the monarch is to take an oath to discharge his duties faithfully, to abide by the Constitution and the law and ensure they are abided by, and to respect the rights of the citizens and of the Autonomous Communities.
Infante, also anglicised as "infant" or translated as "prince", is the title and rank given in the Iberian kingdoms of Spain and Portugal to the sons and daughters (infantas) of the king, regardless of age, sometimes with the exception of the heir apparent or heir presumptive to the throne who usually bears a unique princely or ducal title. A woman married to a male infante was accorded the title of infanta if the marriage was dynastically approved, although since 1987 this is no longer automatically the case in Spain. Husbands of born infantas did not obtain the title of infante through marriage, although they were occasionally elevated to the title de gracia at the sovereign's command.
Felipe Juan Froilán de Todos los Santos de Marichalar y Borbón, Lord of Tejada , widely known as Froilán, is the elder child and only son of Infanta Elena, Duchess of Lugo, and Jaime de Marichalar. He is the maternal-line grandson of King Juan Carlos I and Queen Sofía of Spain, and the nephew of King Felipe VI. He is the paternal-line grandson of Amalio de Marichalar y Bruguera, VIII Count of Ripalda and Concepción Sáenz de Tejada, Lady of Tejada. He is fourth in the line of succession to the Spanish throne, after his cousins Leonor, Princess of Asturias, and Infanta Sofía of Spain and his mother, Infanta Elena.
Victoria Federica de Todos los Santos de Marichalar y Borbón, Lady of Tejada is the younger child and only daughter of Infanta Elena, Duchess of Lugo, and Jaime de Marichalar. She is a granddaughter of King Juan Carlos I and Queen Sofía of Spain and a niece of King Felipe VI. Victoria is fifth in the line of succession to the Spanish throne after her cousins, King Felipe's daughters Leonor, Princess of Asturias, and Infanta Sofía; her mother; and her brother, Felipe.
Jaime de Marichalar y Sáenz de Tejada, Lord of Tejada, is the former husband of the Infanta Elena, Duchess of Lugo, the eldest daughter of King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia of Spain.
The Spanish royal family constitutes the Spanish branch of the House of Bourbon, also known as the House of Bourbon-Anjou. The royal family is headed by King Felipe VI and currently consists of the King; Queen Letizia; their children, Leonor, Princess of Asturias, and Infanta Sofía; and Felipe's parents, King Juan Carlos I and Queen Sofía. The royal family lives at the Zarzuela Palace in Madrid, although their official residence is the Royal Palace of Madrid. The membership of the royal family is defined by royal decree and consists of: the King of Spain, the monarch's spouse, the monarch's parents, his children, and the heir to the Spanish throne.
Princess María de las Mercedes of Bourbon-Two Sicilies was a member of the Spanish royal family and the mother of King Juan Carlos I.
Infanta Alicia of SpainnéePrincess Alicia of Bourbon-Parma was a Spanish infanta. A member of the House of Bourbon-Parma, she became Duchess of Calabria through her marriage to Infante Alfonso, Duke of Calabria. She occasionally undertook official duties on behalf of the Spanish monarchy. Through marriage, she was the maternal half-aunt of King Juan Carlos I of Spain. She was the longest-lived Infanta of Spain.
Infanta Elena, Duchess of Lugo, is the first child and eldest daughter of King Juan Carlos I and Queen Sofía. As the eldest sister of King Felipe VI, Elena is the third in the line of succession to the Spanish throne. She has a younger sister, Infanta Cristina.
The wedding of Pavlos, Crown Prince of Greece, Prince of Denmark, and Marie-Chantal Miller took place on 1 July 1995 at St Sophia's Cathedral, in London, England. The wedding ceremony, hosted by Miller's father, billionaire Robert Warren Miller, reportedly cost US$1.5 million and was attended by 1,400 guests. The wedding ceremony, receptions, and celebrations combined reportedly cost Miller $8 million. The wedding of Pavlos and Marie-Chantal brought together the largest gathering of royalty in London since the wedding of Elizabeth II and Prince Philip in 1947 and more monarchs were in attendance than at the wedding of Charles, Prince of Wales, and Lady Diana Spencer.
Princess Estelle of Sweden, Duchess of Östergötland is a member of the Swedish royal family. She is the elder child of Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel, Duke of Västergötland. She is the eldest grandchild of King Carl XVI Gustaf, and is second in line of succession to the Swedish throne, after her mother.
The Lily Font is a silver-gilt baptismal font used at the baptismal services of members of the British royal family. It is part of the Royal Collection and is kept at the Jewel House at the Tower of London when not in use. The Lily Font has been used for the baptism of all the children and grandchildren of Queen Elizabeth II except Princess Eugenie of York.
Prince Oscar of Sweden, Duke of Skåne is the younger child and only son of Crown Princess Victoria and her husband, Prince Daniel. He is a grandson of King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia and is third in the line of succession to the Swedish throne, after his mother and his sister, Princess Estelle.
The wedding of Prince Felipe and Letizia Ortiz was held on 22 May 2004 in the Almudena Cathedral at the Royal Palace of Madrid, Spain. At the time of the wedding, the groom was the heir to the Spanish throne. The bride was a journalist. The wedding was presided over by the archbishop of Madrid, Antonio María Rouco Varela, and was watched by 25 million people in Spain alone.
María del Rosario Nadal y Fuster de Puigdórfila, also known as the Princess of Preslav, is a Spanish consultant, art director, and former model. A former muse for Valentino, she works as an independent adviser to private art collectors and serves as the deputy director of the Colección Jumex. She is a senior member of the Bulgarian royal family as the estranged wife of Kyril, Prince of Preslav, from whom she separated in 2009.
The wedding of Juan Carlos, Prince of Asturias, and Princess Sofía of Greece and Denmark took place on Monday, 14 May 1962. The couple was married in three ceremonies: one according to the rites of the Roman Catholic Church, the groom's faith, at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Dionysius the Areopagite; one according to the rites of the Greek Orthodox Church, the bride's faith, at the Metropolitan Cathedral of Athens; and a third civil ceremony that was held upon their return to the Royal Palace. Don Juan Carlos was the eldest son of Infante Juan, Count of Barcelona, pretender to the Spanish throne, and Princess María de las Mercedes of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, while Princess Sofía was the eldest daughter of King Paul and Queen Frederica of Greece. Juan Carlos and Sofía were king and queen of Spain from 1975 until his abdication in 2014.
Infante of Spain is a royal title normally granted at birth to the children of reigning and past Spanish monarchs, and to the children of the heir to the Crown. Individuals holding the title of infante also enjoy the style of Royal Highness.
The wedding of Infanta Elena of Spain and Don Jaime de Marichalar y Sáenz de Tejada, Lord of Tejada, took place on Saturday, 18 March 1995 at Seville Cathedral in Seville, Andalusia.