The Duchess of Cambridge looked stunning in pink as she posed alongside other royals after baby Archie’s christening today.
Kate, 37, wore a gorgeous pink Stella McCartney dress for the private event, which took place in a tiny chapel at Windsor Castle today.
The royal beamed for the camera as she elegantly posed on a chair in front of her husband Prince William.
The picture comes as Harry and Meghan faced public backlash over their insistence at keeping son Archie Harrison’s christening private today.
Kate Middleton, far right, stunned in a pink Stella McCartney dress at her nephew Archie’s christening in Windsor today. Pictured left to right is the Duchess of Cornwall, The Prince of Wales, Ms Doria Ragland, Lady Jane Fellowes, Lady Sarah McCorquodale, The Duke of Cambridge and Duchess of Cambridge. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex sit with Archie centre
Senior royals including Prince Charles, Camilla, Prince William and Kate Middleton were among the 25 guests at the intimate ceremony today.
Kate will no doubt be feeling emotional today as she remembers the christenings of her own children, Prince George, 5, Princess Charlotte, 4, and Prince Louis, 1.
The mother-of-three looked elegant in her pink knee-length dress today, which she is thought to have had since 2009 and last worn to the Queen’s Christmas lunch in 2018.
Kate’s outfit for the event today was also reminiscent of the powder blue ensemble by Elie Saab she wore to Ascot last month, which also had a bow on the front.
The Duchess of Cambridge also wore a pussy bow blouse during an engagement in south London in March. This time the garment was purple and from Gucci.
To complete her look for Archie’s christening today Kate added a red headband by London milliner Juliette Botterill.
The Duchess of Cambridge, pictured, accessorised with a red headband by London milliner Juliette Botterill and matching pair of red heels
She tied the entire look together by also wearing red shoes and a pair of pearl drop earrings which stood out against her stunning brunette hair.
The christening comes as Meghan and Harry face continued and growing backlash surrounding the event, as they insisted it be kept private.
The service took place in a tiny chapel inside Windsor Castle, with many of the guests arriving discreetly by a back entrance to the grounds.
The royal couple have refused to reveal who their son’s godparents are despite billing the public £2.4million for renovations to Frogmore cottage.
Prince Harry and Meghan also shared this black and white image of their son on Instagram today which was taken in the gardens at Windsor Castle
Prince William and Kate Middleton were seen discreetly arriving at the rear entrance of Windsor Castle ahead of the occasion
A handful of royals fans gathered in Windsor for the event and, though excited, some suggested they have been left ‘disappointed’ that the public will not get to see any of the private ceremony or find out who has been chosen as godparents.
Mystery surrounded the private event, with the royal couple refusing to allow media into the event, and using a royal loophole to avoid telling public who had been chosen as godparents.
Several experts suggested it was a disappointing move, and would upset those who loved the couple the most.
Ingrid Seward, editor-in-chief of Majesty magazine, suggested Prince Harry, 34, and Meghan Markle, 37, had ‘really upset the people who loved them the most’ with the move, telling the Daily Express they had ‘misinterpreted the whole situation’.
Prince Harry’s former nanny Tiggy Legge Bourke was among the 25 guests at the private event in Windsor today
Seward went on to reveal: ‘The secrecy and evasiveness of the whole situation has been so mismanaged. It’s a real shame.’
The date for Archie’s christening had to be pushed back by two days, after his parents discovered that both the Queen and Prince Charles had prior engagements on the first date.
While the Queen has bowed out graciously in order to spend a long planned weekend with Prince Philip in Sandringham, after a family conference it was decided that the date should be moved to accommodate Prince Charles.
He was away in Wales on the previously planned date to celebrate 50 years of him being Prince of the country.
The royal photographer who captured Archie’s christening
Photographer and former soldier Chris Allerton will capture shots of Archie’s christening today, having previous taken private photographs for Meghan and Harry.
Allerton is said to have formed a close bond with the couple, having taken private pictures during Archie’s photocall as well as the royal wedding.
He is said to have developed his first roll of film at just eight years old and according to his website ‘has been hooked on photography since’.
Allerton left the British Army in 2001 and went on to Lichfield Studios in Notting Hill.
One of the shots taken today (left) looked extremely similar to the one the couple used on their official Christmas card (right)
It was here that he learnt the skills needed to master professional photography. He now travels all over the world and has clients such as Harpers Bazaar, Tatler and broadsheet newspapers.
After taking photos at the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex in May last year, Allerton posted his thanks to the couple.
He said: ‘It was a great honour to be asked to photograph The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s wedding day in May. I am delighted that Their Highnesses chose this photograph for their Christmas card.’
The couple used their SussexRoyal account to post the photographs taken by Chris Allerton
Allerton had previous studies at the University of Reading, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology. Prior to that he attended the prestigious Stowe School in Buckinghamshire.
In 1992 he started his Army career and served there until 2001. During his time in the Army he worked for the Household Cavalry.
He was commissioned into The Life Guards, Household Cavalry, before serving in Bosnia in 1994 and Singapore and Argentina in 1995.
In the second snap the couple look adoringly at their new arrival, named Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor
His last posting was in 1998 at the Adjutant New College at The Royal Military Academy in Sandhurst. He resigned commission in 2000.
In 2001 he started work as a photographic director for Photographic Records. He worked there for over two years.
He then decided to start his own company Allerton Photography, which has offices in both London and Wiltshire.
Although her majesty has not been able to attend all of her great-grandchildren’s christenings, having missed Prince Louis’s baptism last year, it is understood that she would have like to be present for Prince Harry’s big celebration with his first child.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex reportedly shunned celebrities as godparents, instead turning to a close group of friends who played a key role at their wedding.
It has emerged in recent days that the couple are using a royal loophole to ensure baby Archie’s godparents remain a secret.
Under Church of England rules, the details of all baptisms, including the baby’s godparents, are a matter of public record and can be obtained easily for a small fee.
Royal sources have said that Meghan and Harry picked ‘close and old friends’ for the roles amid a backlash over the royal couple’s refusal to identify them because they are ‘private citizens’.