News

Actions

Queen and Prince Philip to miss Prince Louis’ christening

Posted at 6:55 AM, Jul 09, 2018
and last updated 2018-07-09 06:55:26-04

Queen Elizabeth and her husband Prince Philip will not attend the christening of their sixth great-grandchild Prince Louis on Monday, Kensington Palace has announced.

The UK’s Press Association said the decision is understood not to have been taken for health reasons and was mutually agreed by the Queen and Louis’ parents, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, some time ago.

After retiring from public life last September, Prince Philip, 97, has appeared on only a handful of occasions. In April he underwent planned hip surgery, but attended the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle just a few weeks later, walking unaided.

Queen Elizabeth, 92, has also begun to scale back her duties because of her advancing age, handing over some of her responsibilities to her heir, Prince Charles.

Late last month, she missed a service at St. Paul’s Cathedral because she was feeling unwell, Buckingham Palace said.

The christening comes at the start of a busy week for the monarch, who is due to attend celebrations in London marking the centenary of the Royal Air Force Tuesday and to meet US President Donald Trump in Windsor on Friday.

Louis, the third child of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, will be christened in a private ceremony at St. James’s Palace Monday afternoon.

The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall — William’s father and stepmother — will attend the ceremony, as will Catherine’s parents, siblings and brother-in-law, according to Kensington Palace.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex — otherwise known as Prince Harry and the former Meghan Markle — will also be present at the ceremony.

The final guests are the young prince’s six godparents and their spouses, all of whom are friends or family of the Duke and Duchess.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, tweeted Monday that he is “delighted” to be christening the third child of Prince William and Catherine.

Prince Louis was born on April 23 and is a younger brother to Prince George, 4, and Princess Charlotte, 3.