The Prince and Princess of Wales broke royal protocol in a big way in 2013 when choosing who would be the godparents to their firstborn son
The Princess of Wales with her eldest son Prince George (Image: PA)
When Prince William and Princess Kate announced the birth of their first child, Prince George, in 2013, royal fans and commentators alike were elated at the arrival of a new future king.
Just three months later, the young prince was christened in the Chapel Royal at St James’ Palace, with the historic event marking the first time in nearly 120 years that four generations of the Royal Family’s line of succession had been pictured together. While the day as steeped in royal tradition, the Prince and Princess of Wales broke one major protocol when deciding who would be George’s godparents.
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According to royal author Valentine Low, William and Kate steered away from one deeply held tradition by choosing non-royals as George’s godparents.
As Mr Low explained in his book Courtiers: “It was, in many respects, a very traditional royal christening.” However, when only one member of the royal family was chosen to be one of the young prince’s seven godparents, it “represented something of a break with tradition”.
Historically, royal children were bestowed with only royal godparents, some of whom were blood relatives. However, young Prince George was to be the exception, marking the beginning of a modern era in the Firm.
Only one member of the Royal Family joined the group of George’s godparents: William’s cousin and Princess Anne’s daughter Zara Tindall, who does not have a royal title. William and Zara, who were born just 13 months apart, have long had a special relationship, which formed early in their childhood.
In a Channel 5 documentary titled Zara and Anne: Like Mother Like Daughter, royal commentator Victoria Arbiter said: “For William in particular, trust is everything so when you’ve got a cousin that understands what it is to be a member of the royal family, but they don’t have the same pressures associated with it, they can be a tower of strength and support.”
In a stark contrast to decades of royal tradition, Zara was not joined by any other members of the Firm when Kate and William carefully selected their young son’s new godparents. Instead, she was joined by six of Kate and William’s close friends and family members, including Oliver Baker, Hugh Grosvenor – the Duke of Westminster, Emilia Jardine-Paterson, Julia Samuels and William van Custem.
William and Kate continued the trend of choosing close friends and family members without royal titles as their children’s godparents when Princess Charlotte was born in 2015. Her godparents are William’s childhood friend Thomas van Straubenzee, William’s former Eton classmate James Meade, William’s cousin Lady Jane Fellowes, Kate’s cousin Adam Middleton, and Kate’s childhood friend Sophie Carter.
Prince Louis’ godparents are William’s friends Nicholas van Cutsem, Guy Pelly and Harry Aubrey-Fletcher, William’s cousin Lady Laura Meade, Kate’s friend Hannah Carter and Kate’s cousin Lucy Middleton.
Young George was on his best behaviour at his christening, according to Mr Low, as he was dressed in a handmade replica of the christening robe worn by Queen Victoria’s daughter. In keeping with royal tradition, the young Prince was christened using the ornate 175-year-old historic Lily Font, while water from the River Jordan was also used during the ceremony.
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