Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have developed a reputation for being something of a rebellious royal couple. They’ve bucked royal traditions during their wedding and most notably when they introduced their first child to the world. But ABC News royal contributor Victoria Murphy says that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex won’t have much leeway to remix royal traditions when it comes to baby Archie Harrison Mountbatten’s christening.
“Even though this couple has shown that they are often keen to do things their own way, the christening does not obviously offer too many opportunities to do that,” she said to Good Morning America.
Harry and Meghan have shown that they prefer to keep their personal lives private, and luckily for them, royal christenings are typically closed-door affairs. Media cameras weren’t invited into the christenings of Princes George and Louis, or Princess Charlotte. But there were videos of the royal family walking into St George’s Chapel, the location where the ceremonies are often held.
There are other notable traditions for christenings as well. The baby often wears a dress that is an exact replica of one that was commissioned by Queen Victoria over 150 years ago.
Even the water used to baptize a royal baby is special as it is sourced from the River Jordan. The christening takes place in the Lily Font, a silver baptismal structure that is also from the Victorian Age.
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Baby Archie’s christening is expected to take place in July. As GMA notes, Meghan Markle’s mom, Doria Ragland, is expected to return to the U.K from Los Angeles. But there is speculation that Archie’s paternal great-grandmother, Queen Elizabeth, won’t be able to be there. The reigning British monarch did not attend the christening of Prince Louis last year.
There have been lots of rumors about who Archie’s godparents will be. The Express notes that royal biographer Angela Levin has speculated that one of the Obamas will be godparents. But that doesn’t seem all that credible when you remember that the Obamas did not attend Harry and Meghan’s royal wedding in 2018.
Also, it seems more their style to pick someone from their close circle of friends than a political figure. As Hello Magazine reports, Harry has lots of godchildren, mostly the kids of his friends, but he’s also godfather to Prince Louis as well. It is easier to believe that he’ll call on one of his buddies to fill the role of godfather for his own child.
