Royal christening gown

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.[3] The gown was designed by Janet Sutherland, who served as Embroiderer to the Queen.[4] 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).[5] Subsequent generations of the family also continued to use it, including Victoria's great-grandson Lord Louis Mountbatten.[6]

Four kings, four queens, an empress and a crown princess were christened in the original gown:[1]

In total, the original gown was used by 62 royal children over a period of 163 years, including by the current heir apparent, Charles, Prince of Wales.[1] Both Charles' sons, his heir apparent Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, and younger son Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, were christened in the original gown, while all their children (George, Charlotte, Louis and Archie) were christened in the replica gown.[1]

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.[3] 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 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, Viscount Severn's christening, and has been in use ever since. The gown's most recent use was the christening of Archie Mountbatten-Windsor in July 2019.[8]

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.[12]

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.[11] Four Dutch monarchs have been baptised in this gown:[13]

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.[11] The gown was most recently used at the christening of Princess Ariane in 2007.[11]

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.[12]

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]

The other members of the royal family baptised in this gown are:[14]

• 1939: Infanta Margarita of Spain (latterly Infanta Margarita, Duchess of Soria and Duchess of Hermani)
• 1941: Infante Alfonso of Spain
• 1963: Infanta Elena of Spain (latterly Infanta Elena, Duchess of Lugo)
• 1965: Infanta Cristina of Spain
• 1998: Felipe de Marichalar y Borbón (son of Infanta Elena, Duchess of Lugo and Jaime de Marichalar)
• 1999: Juan Urdangarín y de Borbón (son of Infanta Cristina of Spain and Iñaki Urdangarin)
• 2000: Victoria de Marichalar y Borbón (daughter of Infanta Elena, Duchess of Lugo and Jaime de Marichalar)
• 2001: Pablo Urdangarín y de Borbón (son of Infanta Cristina of Spain and Iñaki Urdangarin)
• 2002: Miguel Urdangarín y de Borbón (son of Infanta Cristina of Spain and Iñaki Urdangarin)
• 2005: Irene Urdangarín y de Borbón (daughter of Infanta Cristina of Spain and Iñaki Urdangarin)
• 2006: Infanta Leonor of Spain (latterly Leonor, Princess of Asturias), current heiress presumptive to the throne
• 2007: Infanta Sofía of Spain