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Prince George has met Bilby George at Taronga Zoo in Sydney during his first official engagement in Australia.

The two came face-to-face on Sunday at Taronga Zoo’s enclosure, where it was officially named the Prince George Bilby Exhibit as part of Australia’s gift following the prince’s birth on July 22 last year.

It had been anticipated that Prince George would make his only public appearance at the zoo, but it wasn’t confirmed until he was filmed being put into the car by his mother Kate Middleton.

Kate Middleton carried Prince George – dressed in dark blue shorts, a striped lighter blue-colored shirt, dark blue socks and shoes – as they entered the zoo.

Eight-month-old Prince George looked inquisitive, and was chuckling and looking at the cameras.

Prince George has met Bilby George at Taronga Zoo in Sydney during his first official engagement in Australia

Prince George has met Bilby George at Taronga Zoo in Sydney during his first official engagement in Australia

Kate Middleton had changed out the dove-grey Alexander McQueen outfit she wore to church during Easter Sunday service, into a lemon cream broderie anglaise dress by a designer who did not want to be named. The dress had a fitted bodice and flared out to the knee.

After a quick photo op, the family headed into the enclosure where the meeting took place.

Prince William helped break the ice, when he enticed the bilby – renamed George – over with some food.

Kate Middleton held Prince George close to the glass wall dividing the pair, and he started to show a keen interest in the endangered marsupial.

Despite being a royal, Prince George proved himself to be a normal baby – eagerly grabbing the stuffed bilby present before throwing it on the ground – and sticking a card straight in his mouth.

This was Prince George’s second official function.

During the New Zealand leg of the trip, Prince George “hosted” a play group event with other babies his age at Government House.

After the very short engagement, Prince George returned to Admiralty House, while Kate Middleton and Prince William continued through the zoo, feeding tree kangaroos, walking past giraffes, enjoying a bird show, and taking in the rhino conservation display.

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Prince William and Kate Middleton have marked Easter Sunday by attending a church service in Sydney.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were greeted by cheering crowds outside St Andrew’s Cathedral in the city centre.

While at the cathedral, they signed the First Fleet Bible, which was brought to Australia in 1788 and bears the names of other members of the royal family.

Prince William and Kate Middleton then moved onto Taronga Zoo, where Prince George was introduced to a bilby, a rabbit-like marsupial.

Dressed in a blue striped shirt, blue shorts and black shoes, the young prince looked excited to meet the native animal, which was named George in his honor.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were greeted by cheering crowds outside St Andrew's Cathedral in Sydney

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were greeted by cheering crowds outside St Andrew’s Cathedral in Sydney

Prince William and Kate Middleton then unveiled a plaque at the bilby enclosure, which was paid for by the Australian government to celebrate Prince George’s birth.

Earlier, the private church service was also attended by Australian PM Tony Abbott.

Archbishop of Sydney the Most Reverend Dr. Glenn Davies and Dean of Sydney the Very Reverend Phillip Jensen met Prince William and Kate Middleton on the cathedral steps before the service began.

The bible had previously been signed by the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh as well as the Prince of Wales and Diana, Princess of Wales in 1983 on their visit to Australia with an infant Prince William.

Prince William and Kate Middleton also signed the prayer book of the First Fleet – the 11 ships that carried Europeans to Australia in the 1780s.

Kate Middleton wore a dove grey Alexander McQueen coat and Jane Taylor hat for the service, while her husband wore a suit.

After the service, they spent time speaking to members of the cathedral choir and children who had gathered nearby to see the royal couple.

Prince William and Kate Middleton have met Australian families whose homes were destroyed by wildfires last year.

The royal couple spent the day touring the Blue Mountains as part of the second leg of their trip Down Under.

They visited the town of Winmalee, which was ravaged by the fires in October, where they also talked to firefighters who battled the blazes.

One man who lost his house said the royal visit made those affected feel like they had not been forgotten.

Prince William, Kate Middleton and Prince George arrived in Australia on Wednesday, having completed a tour of New Zealand.

On Thursday, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge took in the sights of the Blue Mountains region, near Sydney, which suffered devastating bush fires and where hundreds of homes were burnt to the ground.

Adrian Harrison, whose house was destroyed, told reporters: “Here we are five months down the track after we lost our house and for them to come out now, it makes us feel like we haven’t been forgotten.”

The royals also vowed to return to the Blue Mountains – one of Australia’s most visited beauty spots.

Prince William and Kate Middleton will spend 10 days travelling across Australia, visiting its famous sites, honoring its war dead and meeting locals.

They visited Echo Point in Katoomba to see the famous Three Sisters rock formation, where they were also greeted by Aboriginal elders representing the indigenous landowners.

The elders presented Prince William and Kate Middleton with a possum skin coat for Prince George and a kangaroo coat for themselves.

“That’s fantastic thank you very much, he’ll love that – very warm,” Prince William said of the gift for his baby son.

Prince William and Kate Middleton visited Echo Point in Katoomba to see the famous Three Sisters rock formation

Prince William and Kate Middleton visited Echo Point in Katoomba to see the famous Three Sisters rock formation

According to elder Aunty Sharon Brown, chairwoman of the Gundungurra Tribal Council, a baby would traditionally be given a possum cloak with another pelt added to the garment for significant milestones during its life.

They were also greeted by around 3,000 well-wishers, who lined crash barriers at Echo Point.

Anthea Hammon, joint managing director of Scenic World, which runs the visitor centre at the beauty spot, guided Kate Middleton, while Prince William spoke with Randall Walker, chief executive of Blue Mountains Lithgow and Oberon Tourism.

After speaking to Kate Middleton, who wore a Diane von Furstenburg wrap dress and wedges, Anthea Hammon said: “She loved it, it’s a pretty stunning day. She was amazed about how far you could see.

“I was talking to her a little bit about bush walking, she likes walking and there’s lots of places to walk here in the Blue Mountains. She said she was keen to come back.”

Randall Walker said Prince William had been “very impressed” with the views and was interested in the Aboriginal legend about it.

“He was surprised to learn it’s the most visited regional site in Australia,” he said.

The royal couple also did a walkabout, meeting the crowds who had waited to greet them.

Meanwhile, Prince William and Kate Middleton narrowly avoided a minor incident, which happened before they arrived in the town of Winmalee to meet the bushfire survivors.

Two men had allegedly harassed some locals, who had gathered to greet the royal couple, before being moved on by police.

A New South Wales Police spokesman confirmed: “At 12:10 [local time] today police stopped and spoke to two men aged 37 and 21 who were allegedly harassing members of the crowd who were gathered at the corner of Single Ridge Road and Vista Road, Winmalee.

“The pair were moved on from the area prior to the motorcade coming past.”

Prince George did not take part in the tour of the mountain region.

Prince William and Kate Middleton are expected to bring 8-month-old Prince George to Taronga zoo in Sydney on Sunday where an enclosure housing bilbys – a rabbit-like marsupial – will be named after him.

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Prince William, Kate Middleton and their son Prince George have arrived in Sydney for the next leg of their tour of New Zealand and Australia.

Prince George was in his mother’s arms as the royal couple emerged from a plane at Kingsford Smith Airport.

Kate Middleton carried the 8-month-old down the steps of the aircraft before she and Prince William were met by dignitaries.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will spend 10 days travelling across Australia, visiting its famous sites and honoring its war dead.

Australia’s PM Tony Abbott and Governor-general Peter Cosgrove, their spouses and other figures were among those who met Prince William and Kate Middleton as they descended from the plane.

Kate Middleton, wearing a yellow dress by Roksanda Ilincic, handed Prince George to his father as she accepted flowers from Joscelyn Sweeney, a 22-year-old with Down’s syndrome.

Prince William, Kate Middleton and their son Prince George have arrived in Sydney for the next leg of their tour of New Zealand and Australia

Prince William, Kate Middleton and their son Prince George have arrived in Sydney for the next leg of their tour of New Zealand and Australia (photo Reuters)

A lively Prince George, dressed in a white cotton babygrow with ships on the front, touched hands with the governor-general’s wife Lynne Cosgrove before his parents left for their first engagement at the Sydney Opera House.

Prince William and Kate Middleton completed the first leg of their trip Down Under with a tour of New Zealand.

They arrived in Australia on Wednesday for the second leg as a political scandal erupted, forcing one of the country’s senior figures to pull out of the official greeting party.

Barry O’Farrell resigned as premier of New South Wales just hours before Prince William and Kate Middleton arrived after a document emerged contradicting evidence he gave to an anti-corruption inquiry.

He admitted to a “massive memory fail” after he failed to declare a gift of A$3,000 wine.

The leader of the New South Wales Liberal Party had told an inquiry that he never received the wine and that he could not remember calling businessman Nick Di Girolamo, who sent him the gift in 2011.

Barry O’Farrell resigned after investigators unveiled a hand-written thank you note from him.

He had been due to greet the royal couple on the tarmac, and later at their visit to Sydney Opera House, but did not attend the welcome ceremony at the airport.

Barry O’Farrell was not replaced by another official.

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Kate Middleton has visited a children’s hospice on the latest leg of the royal tour of New Zealand.

The Duchess of Cambridge was met by more than 40 children and their families at Rainbow Place in Hamilton, the AFP reported.

“There should be more places like this,” AFP quoted Kate Middleton as saying of the facility, which provides support for dying and bereaved children.

It was Kate Middleton’s first solo engagement on the 19-day tour which will also take in Australia.

She met youngsters and parents and had a briefing with the hospice’s chief executive before going to a Mad Hatter’s theme tea party in the gardens.

Prince William, meanwhile, was shown around Pacific Aerospace, an aviation firm in Hamilton.

Kate Middleton was met by more than 40 children and their families at Rainbow Place in Hamilton

Kate Middleton was met by more than 40 children and their families at Rainbow Place in Hamilton (photo Getty Images)

He was told about the P-750, an innovative light aircraft made at the plant.

“He talked about his friendly brotherly rivalry, with Harry flying Apaches and he’s been flying search and rescue,” the company’s chief executive Damian Camp told reporters.

“He said he still does some flying – all helicopter based – but not as much as he wants to.”

Prince William spent more than seven years in the military and was presented with his RAF wings in 2008.

Damian Camp added: “He said George has settled into a nice routine but was keeping mum and dad on their toes but they’re all enjoying their stay.”

Prince William and Kate Middleton reconvened in the nearby town of Cambridge where thousands of well-wishers lined the streets to greet them.

They opened a new velodrome in the town and met some of New Zealand’s cycling, rowing and canoeing elite.

And they were handed a tiny cycling jersey in the country’s colors for Prince George, who was not with his parents for this leg of the tour.

The tour has seen the royals race yachts, attend a state reception and visit a parent and baby class with Prince George in New Zealand before they head to Australia later this month.

Prince William and Kate Middleton’s trip is due to end on April 25 in Canberra.

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Prince William and Kate Middleton have attended a state reception held in their honor as they continue their tour of New Zealand.

The Duke of Cambridge told guests at the event in Wellington that New Zealanders were warm-hearted, generous people.

He said they also had “an instinctive sense of justice and freedom”.

In other remarks, Prince William joked about the loud war dance used by the New Zealand rugby team, saying his 8-month-old son, Prince George, did the haka at night.

Earlier, Prince William and Kate Middleton paid their respects to New Zealand’s war dead.

Prince William and Kate Middleton paid their respects to New Zealand's war dead at the Blenheim War Memorial

Prince William and Kate Middleton paid their respects to New Zealand’s war dead at the Blenheim War Memorial (photo Getty Images)

They laid a wreath in a service at the town of Blenheim’s war memorial, and later met some of the approximately 5,000 people who had gathered for the occasion.

Prince William also unveiled a new portrait of the Queen at the New Zealand Portrait Gallery, by the artist Nick Cuthell.

On Wednesday, Prince George attended his first official public engagement at a “crawl-about” with babies of similar age at Government House in Wellington, with childcare group Plunket.

Prince George will not be making any more appearances during his parents’ 19-day tour of New Zealand and Australia.

Prince William also received a tiny teddy bear from a well-wisher and was given a friendship bracelet from a little boy and immediately put it on his right wrist.

The royal couple was also given a helmet for Prince George when they visited Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre.

Peter Jackson – the film director behind the Lord of the Rings trilogy and an aviation enthusiast – showed Prince William and Kate Middleton around the museum.

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Prince William and Kate Middleton took 8-month-old Prince George on the first official public engagement of their 19-day tour of New Zealand and Australia.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge met fellow new mothers and fathers at Government House in Wellington along with not-for-profit childcare organization Plunket.

The parents were selected to reflect the diversity of New Zealand society.

Prince George appeared to remain calm even though there were tears from some of a similar age.

Prince George at the Plunket play group in Wellington

Prince George at the Plunket play group in Wellington (photo AFP)

Prince George went on a crawl-about with other children in the Blandor Room which had a large portrait of his great-grandmother, the Queen.

Prince William and Kate Middleton chatted informally with the parents of 10 babies, including a pair of gay fathers and a single mother.

Prince George was dressed in a blue dungaree shorts by British luxury brand Rachel Riley, a white blouse and soft blue pre walking shoes.

Prince William joked: “It’s madness, there are babies everywhere.”

The idea was to give the royal couple the chance to introduce the young prince to the world in a less formal way than usual. They also had the chance to swap experiences with other first-time parents.

Tristine Clark, New Zealand president of Plunket, said: “The parents are a spread of all the communities in New Zealand, including Maoris, Samoans, people of Chinese descent and gay couples.

“This is a very multi-cultural country and we wanted the duke and duchess to meet people from all backgrounds.”

The Royal New Zealand Plunket Society, widely known as Plunket, was founded in 1907 by paediatrician Sir Frederic Truby King.

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Prince William and Kate Middleton have carried their son, Prince George, off the plane at the start of a three-week visit to New Zealand and Australia.

It is the first official tour for the 8-month-old prince, who was awake in his mother’s arms as the trio were greeted at Wellington airport by New Zealand’s PM John Key and waiting media.

It was only the second time Prince George has faced the press.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were met with cold, wet and windy weather.

After greeting them on the tarmac, John Key tweeted: “The Royals have landed in Wellington. Let’s make them very welcome, New Zealand.”

Prince William and Kate Middleton arrive in New Zealand with Prince George

Prince William and Kate Middleton arrive in New Zealand with Prince George

Prince William and Kate Middleton were then taken to Government House, the official residence of the governor general, where they received a traditional Maori welcome.

They were greeted with a nose-press, called a hongi, and met Maori warriors.

A minor controversy marked the start of the trip – which ends in Canberra on April 25.

Plunket, New Zealand’s national childcare agency, published photos of a baby seat facing forwards in the royal car, with critics claiming this contradicted Plunket’s advice that children of Prince George’s age should face the rear window.

Kate Middleton’s fashion choices are expected to be closely scrutinized during the tour and she arrived in New Zealand wearing a red coat with gold buttons – from British designer Catherine Walker, who was a firm favorite of Diana, Princess of Wales.

The Duchess teamed her outfit with a red pillbox hat designed by Gina Foster and a silver fern-shaped brooch, a symbol of New Zealand.

She has been loaned the diamond and platinum piece by the Queen, who had herself received it as a gift during a visit to Auckland 60 years ago.

Prince George was seen to be wearing a cream cardigan and matching shoes.

He will be taken to a few specific engagements throughout the trip, and the program stops on most days in the late afternoon to allow his parents to get back to him.

Prince William, Kate Middleton and Prince George flew on a scheduled Qantas flight from Heathrow Airport, via Dubai, to Sydney where they transferred to a military plane.

Their engagements in New Zealand will see them take in a yacht race and visit a Maori tribe, a rugby stadium and a vineyard.

In Australia, their destinations include Sydney, the Blue Mountains, Queensland, Adelaide and Canberra.

Helping oversee the care of Prince George will be his newly-appointed nanny Maria Teresa Turrion Borrallo, who stayed in the background as the royals received their official welcome to New Zealand.

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A new official photograph of Prince George with his parents, Kate Middleton and Prince William, has been released ahead of their tour of Australia and New Zealand.

The eight-month-old is pictured in Kate Middleton’s arms while Prince William holds their dog, Lupo.

In the image, taken by royal christening photographer Jason Bell, the family is looking through an open window at their Kensington Palace home.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are due to arrive in New Zealand on April 7.

They then fly to Australia on April 16 and their three-week tour ends on April 25.

In the new image, Prince George is wearing a pale blue jumper bearing his name, while Kate Middleton wears a cream-colored blouse and Prince William a shirt with rolled-up sleeves.

Prince George with his parents ahead of their Australia and New Zealand tour

Prince George with his parents ahead of their Australia and New Zealand tour (photo Jason Bell)

Prince George, who is third in line to the throne, is not looking directly at the camera like his parents – instead, he is smiling at the black cocker spaniel next to him.

Other than a glimpse of the curtains, little of the Cambridges’ renovated Kensington Palace home can be seen in the photograph.

It is the first official picture of Prince George to be released since his christening last October.

The visit to Australia and New Zealand will be Prince George’s first official overseas tour. The trip echoes the Prince and Princess of Wales’s visit to Australia and New Zealand in 1983 when the couple took Prince William, then aged nine months, with them.

The tour will begin in Wellington, where Prince William and Kate Middleton will be greeted with a ceremonial welcome to New Zealand, called a Powhiri in Maori.

They will see a yacht race, visit a rugby stadium and a vineyard, and there will also be Maori engagements in Christchurch and Dunedin.

During their time in New Zealand, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will attend a ceremony in Blenheim to recognize the sacrifice of members of the Australian and New Zealand armed forces in the First World War.

There will be a similar commemorative ceremony in Canberra, Australia.

Prince William and Kate Middleton’s Australian itinerary includes visits to Uluru in the Northern Territory, as well as Sydney and Adelaide.

They will also visit an area of the Blue Mountains, New South Wales, that was hit by bushfires last October.

Their 11-strong entourage includes Prince George’s new nanny, Maria Teresa Turrion Borrallo, and a hairdresser.

Prince William has made a number of official trips to Australia and New Zealand in the past, but Kate Middleton is yet to pay an official visit to either country.

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Prince George is having his first family vacation as he jetted away to the Caribbean with his mother Kate Middleton, Us Weekly reported.

Kate Middleton, 32, and 6-month-old Prince George traveled to the island of Mustique, and have also been joined by her parents Carole and Michael Middleton, brother James, and sister Pippa and her boyfriend Nico Jackson.

Prince George is having his first family vacation as he jetted away to the Caribbean with his mother Kate Middleton

Prince George is having his first family vacation as he jetted away to the Caribbean with his mother Kate Middleton

Prince William joined the group last year at the same villa, but unfortunately couldn’t make it this time around as he has to continue with his Cambridge agricultural management studies.

Kate Middleton and Prince George will be heading home “[by the] end of next week,” a source told Us Weekly.

On February 11, Kate Middleton is expected to attend the National Portrait Gallery gala, her first royal engagement of 2014.

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Kate Middleton is not pregnant with baby No 2, despite tabloid reports suggesting that another royal child is on the way in 2014.

Star magazine wrote on its front page: “It’s official: Kate’s Pregnant Again!”

Kate Middleton is not pregnant with baby No 2, despite tabloid reports suggesting that another royal child is on the way in 2014

Kate Middleton is not pregnant with baby No 2, despite tabloid reports suggesting that another royal child is on the way in 2014

The tabloid says that pictures taken in early December of Kate Middleton pushing a stroller on the grounds of Kensington Gardens show a “developing baby bump”.

Star says that at a recent gala, Kate Middleton was “glowing”, rested her hand “gently on her stomach”, and appeared to have a “little bump”.

The tabloid further states that Queen Elizabeth was told the good news at a Christmas lunch, and that Kate’s mother, Carole Middleton, wants it to be named Diana.

Prince George’s christening has started at the Chapel Royal in London.

Prince George, who is third in line to the British throne, is being baptized by the Archbishop of Canterbury.

The christening has been announced as a private event, with only senior royals, four members of the Middleton family, the seven godparents and their spouses invited.

Prince George, son of Prince William and Kate Middleton, was born in London on July 22nd.

The ceremony is expected to last about 45 minutes, after which Prince Charles will host a tea at Clarence House.

Prince George’s godparents, announced earlier, are Oliver Baker, Emilia Jardine-Paterson, Earl Grosvenor, Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton, Julia Samuel, William van Cutsem and Zara Tindall.

Prince George’s christening has started at the Chapel Royal in London

Prince George’s christening has started at the Chapel Royal in London

Zara Phillips, wife of former England rugby player Mike Tindall, is Prince William’s cousin, while the other six godparents are all friends of the royal couple.

Prince George is being baptized in a replica of the lace and satin christening gown made for Queen Victoria’s eldest daughter, Victoria, the Princess Royal, in 1841.

Prince William and Kate Middleton chose two hymns, two lessons and two anthems for the christening.

The hymns are Breathe on Me, Breath of God and Be Thou My Vision.

Lessons from St Luke and St John will be read by Pippa Middleton and Prince Harry, and the anthems are Blessed Jesu! Here we Stand and the Lord Bless You and Keep You.

After the ceremony, celebrity photographer Jason Bell will take a picture of Queen Elizabeth and Princes Charles, William and George together.

The photo will echo a 1894 picture from the christening of the future Edward VIII, showing him with his father, grandfather and great-grandmother – George V, Edward VII and Queen Victoria.

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Prince George’s christening service will take place this afternoon, at 3 p.m., at the Chapel Royal in the grounds of St James’s Palace.

The most important question is what will everyone eat?

Prince George’s christening cake is a tier from Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding cake

Prince George’s christening cake is a tier from Prince William and Kate Middleton’s wedding cake

It’s traditional in England to serve the top tier of your wedding cake at your first child’s christening.

The alcohol content in Prince William and Kate Middleton’s wedding fruitcake will have helped preserve it, but of course that cake was frozen as well.

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According to recent reports, just five senior members of the Royal family have been invited by Prince William and Kate Middleton to today’s christening of Prince George.

The Duke of York and the Earl of Wessex are among those who have been left off the guest list.

Prince William’s cousin Princesses Eugenie, who is in New York, will also miss out, together with the Princess Royal, who is in Canada, and the Countess of Wessex, who is carrying out official duties in Somerset. Zara Phillips, another of Prince William’s cousins, will be attending after she was chosen as a godparent.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s choice of the Chapel Royal at St James’s Palace as the venue for the ceremony meant the guest list had to be kept down to fewer than 50 (only 22 guests, according to royal sources), meaning there would not have been room for close friends if the couple’s various aunts, uncles and cousins attended.

Just five senior members of the Royal family have been invited by Prince William and Kate Middleton to today’s christening of Prince George

Just five senior members of the Royal family have been invited by Prince William and Kate Middleton to today’s christening of Prince George

The only senior members of the Royal family who will be there, apart from Prince George and his parents, are Queen Elizabeth, Prince Philip, Prince Charles, the Duchess of Cornwall and Prince Harry.

They will be joined by Kate’s parents, Carole and Michael Middleton, and her siblings Pippa and James.But there will be no “plus ones”, meaning there is no place for Prince Harry’s girlfriend Cressida Bonas or Pippa Middleton’s boyfriend Nico Jackson.

Marcus Setchell, the obstetrician in charge of the delivery of Prince George, is expected to be at the service, together with midwives Jacqueline Dunkley-Bent, Arona Ahmed and Lisa Greene, who attended to Kate Middleton in the Lindo Wing of St Mary’s Hospital, Paddington.

A source close to the Earl of Wessex said he would be busy with “meetings all the way through the day”, while the Duke of York has “a day of official engagements in London”.

The ceremony will arguably be the most private christening of a future king or queen in living memory.

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Prince George’s seven godparents have been announced ahead of his christening later this afternoon.

Prince George’s godparents are: Oliver Baker, Emilia Jardine-Paterson, Earl Grosvenor, Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton, Julia Samuel, William van Cutsem and Zara Phillips.

Zara Phillips, wife of former England rugby international Mike Tindall, is Prince William’s cousin.

The Archbishop of Canterbury – Justin Welby – will christen the three-month-old prince at St James’s Palace in central London.

Emilia Jardine-Paterson attended Marlborough College with Kate Middleton, while Oliver Baker went to St Andrews University with Prince William and the duchess.

William van Cutsem is a childhood friend of the duke.

Zara Phillips is one of Prince George’s seven godparents

Zara Phillips is one of Prince George’s seven godparents

Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton served as private secretary to Prince William, Kate Middleton and Prince Harry from 2005 to 2012, and is still principal private secretary and equerry on a part-time basis.

Julia Samuel was a close friend of Prince William’s mother Diana, Princess of Wales.

Earl Grosvenor is the son of the Duke of Westminster.

Prince William and Kate Middleton will be joined by family and close friends for Prince George’s christening at the palace’s Chapel Royal.

Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip are expected to attend along with the Prince of Wales, the Duchess of Cornwall and Prince Harry.

Kate’s parents Carole and Michael Middleton and siblings Pippa and James are also expected to be at the ceremony.

Celebrity portrait photographer Jason Bell will take the official pictures, and after the christening he is expected to capture a historic image of the Queen and three future monarchs – Princes Charles, William and George – together.

This will echo a 1894 picture from the christening of the future Edward VIII, showing him with his father, grandfather and great-grandmother – George V, Edward VII and Queen Victoria.

Prince George will wear a replica of the intricate lace and satin christening gown made for Queen Victoria’s eldest daughter, Victoria, the Princess Royal, in 1841.

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Prince George’s christening service on October 23 at the Chapel Royal in St James’s Palace could be attended by fewer than 60 people.

Prince William and Kate Middleton have broken with several traditions since their 2011 wedding, but royal christenings have always been for family, close friends and godparents.

Prince George’s christening guest list will include fewer than 60 people

Prince George’s christening guest list will include fewer than 60 people

All the public will see and hear of the 45-minute ceremony, conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, is the official photos and a few details that Prince William and Kate Middleton decide to release the next day.

Definitely present with Prince William and Kate Middleton will be: Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles, Prince Harry and Michael and Carole Middleton with Kate’s sister Pippa and brother James.

Princess Anne, Prince Andrew, Prince Edward and their spouses have not been invited, although Palace officials insist there are no family rifts.

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Kensington Palace has refused to comment on the identity of Prince George’s six godparents.

However, three close friends have been named as likely candidates: University of St Andrews contemporary Fergus Boyd, 31; interior designer and school friend of Kate Middleton Emilia d’Erlanger, also 31, and Hugh van Cutsem, 39, one of Prince William’s oldest friends.

Contenders for the other three places include university friends Oliver Baker and Alasdair Coutts-Wood; Kate Middleton’s Marlborough school friend Alicia Fox-Pitt and St Andrews students Virginia Fraser and Olivia Bleasdale.

If Prince William and Kate Middleton want some older guardians there is former nanny Tiggy Pettifer or former private secretary Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton, while Prince Harry, Pippa Middleton and Zara Phillips can’t be ruled out.

Joe Little, editor of Majesty magazine, says: “William and Kate have shown with their wedding, and now with the christening, that they will do things their way in the 21st century, and choose the people they want.

“It is a refreshing modern outlook as long as they don’t overdo it and become Mr. and Mrs. Ordinary, which would take away the magic of the monarchy and could cause people to lose interest.”

Kensington Palace has refused to comment on the identity of Prince George’s six godparents

Kensington Palace has refused to comment on the identity of Prince George’s six godparents

In 1948, Prince Charles’s names were not even made public until the day of his christening, a month after his birth.

Most of Prince Charles’ eight godparents were elderly, and two, great uncles King Haakon of Norway and Prince George of Greece, could not make it to the service.

By contrast Prince William howled through his christening on August 4, 1982, watched by the Queen Mother on her 82nd birthday who said afterwards: “He certainly has a good pair of lungs!”

Prince William wore the same christening gown, made from Spitalfi elds silk satin and Honiton lace, as all the royals since Queen Victoria’s oldest daughter Victoria was baptized in 1841.

The last royal baby to wear it was the Earl and Countess of Wessex’s daughter Lady Louise but it is now in the Museum of London and a replica has been made by the Queen’s dresser Angela Kelly. This gown, which Prince George will wear at his tomorrow’s christening, was first used for Edward and Sophie’s son James Viscount Severn in 2008.

Prince William’s godparents were mainly chosen by Prince Charles, and included former King Constantine of Greece, Lord Romsey, Princess Alexandra, the Duchess of Westminster and Lady Susan Hussey, the Queen’s senior lady-in waiting.

The one big surprise was Prince Charles’s mystical mentor, the explorer and philosopher Sir Laurens van der Post, who was chosen to give a spiritual element to William’s childhood.

Princes were traditionally circumcised for hygienic reasons.

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Prince George’s christening will happen tomorrow and the Archbishop of Canterbury – the Most Reverend Justin Welby – spoke for the first time about the “extraordinary moment” when he will baptize Prince William and Kate Middleton’s baby son.

In a message released by Lambeth Palace, the Most Reverend Justin Welby spoke of the “great times” Prince William and Kate Middleton will have as parents in the years to come.

The 45-minute christening service will take place on Wednesday, October 23, at 3 p.m. at the Chapel Royal within St James’s Palace.

The ceremony will be conducted by the Archbishop in what he called a celebration of “the next hugely important moment” in Prince George’s life.

The Most Reverend Justin Welby said: “The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have had so much advice they could probably fill a house with it.

The Most Reverend Justin Welby spoke for the first time about the "extraordinary moment" when he will baptize Prince William and Kate Middleton's baby son

The Most Reverend Justin Welby spoke for the first time about the “extraordinary moment” when he will baptize Prince William and Kate Middleton’s baby son

“My message to them would be <<what a treat, what an amazing gift, what wonderful times you will have>>.

“A few months ago millions of people around the world celebrated the birth of Prince George.

“Now we’re celebrating the next hugely important moment, which is his christening.”

Beneath the ornate Hans Holbein ceiling of the Chapel Royal, the third-in-line to the throne and future supreme governor of the Church of England will be christened George Alexander Louis.

The Archbishop of Canterbury said: “I will mark Prince George with the sign of the cross on his forehead and that’s exactly what every priest always does every single baptism.

“It’s an extraordinary moment because that is the sign by which we understand this person belongs to God.

“There’ll be great times, there’ll be tough times – there always are with children.

“Through christening you are bringing God into the middle of it all and I know that when he’s in the middle of it all, somehow, it’s held in his hands, and that’s extraordinary.”

He also talked about how Prince George’s baptism means he joins almost 2,000 million people around the world in what he calls the “family of the Church”.

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Prince George’s christening service will take place next week, on October 23, and Kensington Palace has shared details concerning the event.

According to People magazine, Prince William and Kate Middleton will bring their 3-month-old son before the Archbishop of Canterbury on Wednesday, October 23, at 3 pm, at the chapel at St. James Palace. The service will last 45 minutes.

St. James Palace chapel holds special meaning for Prince William as it housed the coffin of his late mother Princess Diana for one week before her burial. There has been some speculation that Prince William chose the location to pay tribute to his mother, as he did with the royal wedding that was held in Westminster Abbey, where Princess Diana’s funeral took place.

Prince William and Kate Middleton will bring their 3-month-old son before the Archbishop of Canterbury on Wednesday, October 23

Prince William and Kate Middleton will bring their 3-month-old son before the Archbishop of Canterbury on Wednesday, October 23

Those expected to attend Prince George’s christening service include Queen Elizabeth, Prince Philip, Prince Charles and his wife Camilla Parker Bowles, Prince Harry and the Middletons.

The guest list for the christening has not been released but Kensington Palace has said “close members of both families” will attend.

The names of Prince George’s godparents are also yet to be announced.

Following the christening, a picture will be released showing the Queen with three future monarchs – Prince Charles, Prince William and Prince George.

The last time such a gathering of a monarch and her three heirs occurred was in Queen Victoria’s time.

That photograph, taken at the christening of the future Edward VIII in July 1894 showed the royal baby with his father, later George V; grandfather, the future Edward VII; and great grandmother, Queen Victoria.

Meanwhile, the Royal Mint is to create a set of commemorative coins to mark the christening.

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Prince George’s christening service will take place Wednesday, October 23, at 3 p.m., Kensington Palace confirmed today.

The service will be held in The Chapel Royal at St James’s Palace and will last 45 minutes.

Prince George’s christening service will take place Wednesday, October 23, at 3 pm

Prince George’s christening service will take place Wednesday, October 23, at 3 pm

Prince George’s christening will be conducted by The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Reverend Justin Welby.

The reason for a late afternoon ceremony is that Queen Elizabeth is holding a reception at Buckingham Palace earlier in the day for her Diamond Jubilee Trust.

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Prince George’s christening will “be a private and intimate family event”, it was revealed this week.

Meanwhile, Buckingham Palace representatives have informed us that while “a guest list will be released nearer the time” of the ceremony, it has been confirmed that Princess Anne and Sophie, Countess of Wessex, will not be there.

The Countess of Wessex is scheduled to open the new Girlguiding Residential Lodge in Somerset before attending a Festival Concert at the Cathedral Church of St. Peter in Exeter, Devon, according to the Palace. She will then visit the NSPCC Service Centre in Bristol and finally open the Healing Foundation Cleft Gene Bank and Cohort Study, also in Bristol.

Prince George’s christening will be a private and intimate family event

Prince George’s christening will be a private and intimate family event

Princess Anne will be in Canada on that day, where she will visit the Canadian Forces Medical Services Training Centre.

A royal source revealed to E! News about the christening: “William and Kate are going to do things differently, and actually, their families are respectful of that. This won’t be a case of a big rift. Christenings are not state occasions. They’re private affairs and can be as big or intimate as the parents desire.”

It was on September 27 that the official announcement was made about the christening, which will take place at The Chapel Royal, St. James’s Palace.

While it remains to be seen who will wind up being Prince George’s six godparents, The Sun did report in August that Prince William and Kate Middleton have asked good friend Guy Pelly to be one of the godfathers.

Several other names have been thrown around as possible contenders including Prince William’s longtime pal Thomas van Straubenzee, Kate Middleton’s friend Alicia Fox-Pitt and, of course, Prince George’s aunt and uncle, Pippa Middleton and Prince Harry.

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Prince George christening ceremony will be held on October 23 at the Chapel Royal.

Prince William and Kate Middleton’s son, born in July and third in line to the British throne will be christened by The Archbishop of Canterbury, Most Reverend Justin Welby, in a private service, with further details announced at a later date, the Kensington Palace said.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge broke with tradition in choosing the Chapel Royal over Buckingham Palace, where Queen Elizabeth, Prince Charles and Prince William all were christened. The last member of the Royal family to be christened at St. James was Princess Beatrice in 1988.

Prince Harry and Pippa Middleton are even-money favorites for becoming Pince George’s godparents

Prince Harry and Pippa Middleton are even-money favorites for becoming Pince George’s godparents

Odds-makers in Britain are already hot to handicap favorites to become godparents to Prince George.

According to Ladbrokes, Prince Harry and Pippa Middleton are even-money favorites for the honors. They are followed by James Meade, Prince William’s closest chum, at 2-1, and Hannah Gillingham, Kate Middleton’s Marlborough college pal, at 3-1.

Others possibly in the running include pal Thomas van Straubenzee at 4-1 odds and sibling James Middleton at 5-1.

Longshots are David Beckham at 50-1, with his wife Victoria Beckham as godmother lagging far back at 500-1.

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Prince George will wear a replica of a 172-year-old gown for his christening day on October 23.

For 167 years, Britain’s royal babies wore a one-of-a-kind, custom-made, hand-me down Christening gown.
Ever since Queen Victoria’s eldest daughter, over 30 newborns including Prince William, Prince Charles and the Queen, have all worn the same Honiton lace and white satin gown to mark their entrance into the Church of England.

Prince George, however, will wear a new form of the family heirloom to celebrate this historic and religious rite of passage.
Following the baptism of Lady Louise Windsor in 2004, it was decided the ancient garment was too delicate to be used again. As a result, the Queen commissioned an exact replica of the 1841 christening gown to replace the original robe.

Prince George will wear a replica of a 172-year-old gown for his christening day on October 23

Prince George will wear a replica of a 172-year-old gown for his christening day on October 23

In keeping with tradition, Prince William and Kate Middleton are also expected to serve the first tier of the wedding cake at the ceremony for their son.

Usually just one official photo of the royal baby is released in keeping with the private nature of the royal christening. It is expected that a single photograph of George in his robe will be released after the event.

Designed by the Queen’s senior dresser Angela Kelly, and her creative team at Buckingham Palace, the replica retains the same features of the original, including the lengthy skirt and elaborate collar and bow.

Prince George will be christened on Wednesday, October 23, at the Chapel Royal at St James’s Palace – just over three months after his birth.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Reverend Justin Welby, will perform the christening.

Prince George, who was born on July 22 at St Mary’s Hospital in London, is third in line to the throne.

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Prince George’s christening will be marked with a set of commemorative coins, the Royal Mint said Saturday.

Prince William and Kate’s firstborn will be christened at the Chapel Royal at St. James’s Palace on October 23, just over three months after his birth, the Kensington Palace announced yesterday. The Chapel Royal is where the coffin of William’s late mother, Princess Diana, was laid before her funeral in 1997.

The commemorative coins, approved by Prince William, his wife Kate Middleton and Queen Elizabeth II, are produced for the first time to mark a royal christening in Britain.

The 5-pound coins will be made of solid gold, silver, and a more affordable option, and will sell for as much as thousands of pounds (dollars). The designs of the coins have not yet been revealed.

The first Royal Australian Mint coin dedicated to Prince George Alexander Louis

The first Royal Australian Mint coin dedicated to Prince George Alexander Louis

Buying the coins may be the only way the public can take part in celebrating Prince George’s christening, which will be a private event, attended only by close family. Official photographs will be released after the ceremony, Kensington Palace said.

The venue of the ceremony is a break from recent tradition: Prince William, his father Prince Charles and the Queen were all christened at Buckingham Palace, while Prince Harry was christened at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle.

The Chapel Royal at St. James’ Palace is a lesser known and more intimate venue. Constructed by Henry VIII, it was decorated by Hans Holbein in honor of the king’s short-lived marriage to Anne of Cleves.

Prince George is the third in line to the throne, after Prince William and Prince Charles. His christening will be conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby.

Prince George will wear a replica of a christening gown made for Queen Victoria’s eldest daughter in 1841.

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Prince Philip has been finally introduced to his great-grandson, Prince George, for the first time since his birth in July.

The eight-week-old future king flew to Scotland on a private jet with his parents yesterday afternoon.
Prince George was taken to Balmoral, the Queen’s private Highland estate, to meet Prince Philip, 92.

Prince Charles and Camilla are at their nearby home, Birkhall.

Prince Philip was the only senior royal not to have met the third in line to the throne.

Prince Philip has been finally introduced to his great-grandson, Prince George, for the first time since his birth in July

Prince Philip has been finally introduced to his great-grandson, Prince George, for the first time since his birth in July

At the time of Prince George’s birth he was recuperating at Sandringham after an abdominal operation.

Now Prince George is at Balmoral, there is a rare opportunity for a unique family photo to be taken.

For the first time in more than a century, three generations of heirs to the throne are alive: Prince Charles, 64, Prince William, 31, and newborn George.

The last time such a picture was taken was in 1894 when Queen Victoria was photographed with her son Edward VII, grandson George V and great grandson Edward VIII.

A royal insider said: “Everyone has been waiting for this photo to be taken, and of course the Duke of Edinburgh has been looking forward to seeing his great-grandson.

“It’s wonderful that the family have finally got together.”

Prince William and Kate Middleton flew to Scotland after the prince attended the wedding of friend James Meade to Lady Laura Marsham in Norfolk on Saturday.

Kate Middleton had surprisingly stayed in London where she was spotted shopping for baby clothes in Sloane Square.