For Royal Christening, Princess Charlotte To Wear Replica Of Victorian Lace Outfit

Princess Charlotte is likely to wear a beautiful lace outfit for her baptism Sunday. She will be the latest Windsor baby to be seen in the outfit, which is a replica of the one used by Queen Victoria’s children. Prince George also wore the gown created by the queen’s personal dresser, Angela Kelly, after the original became too fragile for use. It has eight generations of royal history interwoven in it, according to Hello.

During Prince George’s christening in October 2013, the little royal looked adorable, held by his mother Kate Middleton at the service in the Chapel Royal at St. James’s Palace. A team of seamstresses had spent hours recreating the intricate bows and high collars of the original. The Victorian version was made of Honiton lace over ivory Spitalfields silk and was modeled on the dress worn by Queen Victoria on her marriage to Prince Albert in 1840. The sovereign commissioned it after the birth of her daughter Victoria the following year.

The original outfit was worn by 62 babies, including Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Charles and Prince William. After each royal christening, the gown is hand-washed in spring water and then packed away. In 2004, it was put out of service.

James Viscount Severn, son of Prince Edward and the Countess of Wessex, was the first royal baby to wear the new outfit. Further appearances followed at the baptisms of Peter Phillips’ children Savannah and Isla. Charlotte’s christening day has been chosen so the celebration takes place before her great-grandmother leaves for her annual summer holiday in Balmoral.

The christening will take place in St. Mary Magdalene Church at Sandringham Estate. The picturesque 16th-century chapel is also where Princess Diana was baptized Aug. 30, 1961. Diana grew up at Park House on the estate, which is why the Spencers had close links to the royal family even before her 1981 marriage to Prince Charles. At the ceremony Charlotte will be baptized with her full name -- Charlotte Elizabeth Diana, another nod to Diana.

Guests at the private ceremony will include her parents, brother George, great-grandparents Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip, and grandparents Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles. Maternal grandparents Michael and Carole Middleton also will attend. The royal baby’s as-yet-unannounced godparents also will be present.