Christening ceremony of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's son to take place at Windsor Castle
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are hosting a private christening for son Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor on Saturday (July 6), reported People.
The baby boy was born on May 6.
The baptism will take place in Queen Elizabeth's private chapel at Windsor Castle, a location the royal couple chose because they "wanted an intimate, peaceful setting in a place with such a special connection to Her Majesty," a source close to the pair told the outlet.
The gathering will be attended by nearly 25 close family members and friends. Photos and portraits will be released the next day. The royal christenings are typically a private affair, with only close family, friends and godparents in attendance of it.
"This is a beautiful milestone and they are excited to share it as a family first and then with the world," said the source.
The venue is a deeply personal spot for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. The room was first created for Queen Victoria between 1840 and 1847. It was later destroyed by the catastrophic Windsor fire in 1992 and rebuilt with modern touches in 1994.
The St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle was the place where Meghan Markle and Prince Harry tied the knot in May 2018. Prince Harry was also christened at the same venue in 1984.
The timing of Archie's baptism follows closely to the christenings of Kate Middleton and Prince William's three children.
Prince George's christening took place in late October (more than three months after he was born) at the Chapel Royal in London's St. James's Palace. Princess Charlotte's baptism was held two months after her birth at the St. Mary Magdalene Church in Norfolk.
Prince Louis was christened at the same venue as his older brother in July 2018, about three months after his world debut.
The most recent royal christening was that of Zara and Mike Tindall's second daughter, Lena Elizabeth. Meghan Markle and Prince Harry attended the service in March. Lena Elizabeth's christening took place a full nine months after her birth.
Although Prince Harry skipped taking a formal paternity leave, he has made several appearances in the weeks since his baby boy, including a short trip to the Netherlands to launch the countdown to the 2020 Invictus Games and a visit to Rome, where he played in a charity polo match.
However, Meghan Markle has largely stayed away from the spotlight to focus on motherhood.
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry made their first joint appearance as parents at Trooping the Colour celebration in honour of the Queen's birthday in early June. The couple was all smiles as they arrived at the celebration in the same carriage.
The proud parents shared a glimpse of their newborn on Father's Day, posting a photo on Instagram featuring Archie peering at the camera from the arms of Harry.