James Wessex is Christened at Windsor
Viscount Severn, the second child of Prince Edward and Sophie, the Countess of Wessex, was Christened today at Windsor in a very private ceremony.
The service took place in a private chapel at Windsor Castle.
Rt Rev David Conner, the Dean of Windsor, conducted the service. In attendance were James’s godparents Denise Poulton, Jeanye Irwin, Alastair Bruce, Duncan Bullivant and Tom Hill.
James Alexander Philip Theo is the eighth in line to the throne and the first male grandchild for the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh since Prince Harry was born 23 years ago.
Hi John
Did you see the DM are reporting that Chelsy may indeed go to the ball after all and that she has been sent an invitation to Peter’s wedding but not yet responded?? Do you think this story was written just incase Chelsy turns up given that they got it so wrong with Kate and Williams wings ceremony??
DM are also trying to put a seedy twist on the Peter’s stag night as well..
By jackie Mccoy on April 19th, 2008 at 11:55 pm
Oh and worse news John although you will be able to tell how worthy this story will be. News of the world are reporting that William landed a helicopter in Kate’s back yard??? I have no idea if this is true or not but this if it is true is definitely not good John. The other trip could be spun but this one I have no idea how they are going to explain it?? What do you think?
I also have no idea how to link articles otherwise I would sorry.
By jackie Mccoy on April 20th, 2008 at 12:19 am
LINK
Here also about PW landing in KM’s garden.
By Me on April 20th, 2008 at 12:50 am
I think the quicker engagement announcements are issued, the fewer incidents like this we’ll have to endure. If William and Harry are settled on their brides, then it’s time to make brides of them and end this foolishness. Their futures are at stake. (At least to the extent that their futures might be taken seriously.) As Philip might say, it’s time to pull the thumb out.
I would hate to see William and Harry embark on their own versions of the Koo Stark Years. After all, those years of Randy Andy’s can be considered the beginning of the anni horribili (ok, my Latin isn’t great)—which culminated in Diana’s death. All those years are of a piece: the worst period in British Royal history since the abdication 72 years ago.
Let’s hope this is the last gasp of embarrassing adolescent behavior and they both make the effort to “muck in” with adulthood at last.
By Dan on April 20th, 2008 at 1:42 am
Nice photo but why didn’t they release one with including Louise are they that ashamed of their daughter they keep her hidden?
By Trudie on April 20th, 2008 at 2:13 am
I would agree with you Dan. William must have really wanted to impress Kate with his landing in her backyard. I think that it was very romantic. However, it goes back to something that someone on this very site said. It is the perception that he has to watch. With him being heir to the throne, he needs to worry about how his behavior is seen by the very people who make his lifestyle possible. I might be wrong but I think that in their heart of hearts, Prince William and Kate know how they truly feel about one another. By this time, Prince William knows if he is going to ask Kate to marry him. With actions taken like the landing of the helicopter in her yard, I would think that he is telling the world how he truly feels about her. He might be waiting to make it official until after Peter and Autumn’s wedding. At any rate, something needs to be said before he goes out to sea for a month. It will go a long way to stop rumors and some bad publicity that she is getting. I like Prince William and Kate together. They will do well together because they love each other. I do hope that make their relationship official.
By kat on April 20th, 2008 at 2:13 am
Reports are that both Andrew, Duke of York and the Princess Royal were in attendance at their nephew’s christening, but Charles and Camilla chose not to interrupt their weekend at Birkhall.
That is hardly filial! Would it have killed Charles to come in from Scotland to support his younger brother on the day of his nephew’s christening? I am altogether off Charles! 
By Gigi on April 20th, 2008 at 2:57 am
I read (the Sun?) that the Defence Ministry said the same thing as with the Isle of Wight flight– landing in Kate’s parents’ garden fulfilled the training goal of landing the Chinook in a small space. William touched down and took off again– no one got on or off the helicopter.
Given that Kate probably is followed wherever she goes, it seems fine to me that William went to her to show off some of his new skills– very romantic.
By Evelyn on April 20th, 2008 at 3:42 am
I’m not sure whether I would consider it romantic if my b/f landed a giant helicopter in my backyard but I agree that this is hardly an issue if he didn’t get off to see her. But then the usual suspects will once more scream about a waste of tax payers money though I’m sure it didn’t cost a cent more to land on Middleton ground than anywhere else really.
But you have a very good point about public perception, kat. It all comes down to bad PR no matter how ill-founded the allegations of idle “pleasure flights” are. That’s what will stick with people and that’s not a good thing. At least William’s RAF stint will be over in a short time and I hope no future repetition of such incidents occurs. Maybe he should offer to refund the costs for the stag-party flight at least. The money could then be transferred to some charity (maybe their joint military relief charity?) if the RAF doesn’t consider the flight an abuse of rights. That would appease people somewhat.
By Isana on April 20th, 2008 at 8:22 am
According to the BBC this morning it was a large field owned by the Middletons, and not their rose bed. Presumably it was a paddock for horses.
The Chinook has to land on all kinds of rough terrain. William’s training would have included small urban spaces — like Woolwich Barracks — and rough paddocks, like Kate’s. The MoD is fully behind William on this one, and so is Royal Anecdotes. Great flying, Wills.
By John on April 20th, 2008 at 9:41 am
Actually, the income from the Royal Estates more than covers the costs of the Monarchy. Unfortunately, Parliament confiscated them at the end of the 17th century. Strictly, however, taxpayers don’t pay for the Monarchy.
By John on April 20th, 2008 at 9:47 am
Trudie, this was James’s day. We don’t even know whether Louise was there. She may have been unwell, for all we know.
There was only one official picture, and that is it. Obviously the photographer called the shots and selected the one to be released.
By John on April 20th, 2008 at 9:51 am
William may have delivered a bunch of roses to Kate. How romantic would that be?
You know, the old wartime generation would have loved all this. RAF pilots have always been daredevil types. They have to be to do what they do in battle.
Unhappily, our spoilt, overprotected generation shrieks with outrage at the slightest diversion from the rules. I say, get used to it. The military routinely have to go where angels fear to tread. William stands in the great tradition of the flying service, so let’s give him his due.
Jolly good show, Sir! That showed the beggars how it’s done.
By John on April 20th, 2008 at 9:59 am
I agree with you, John. The military know their business and training involves all sorts of necessary exercises in all weather and conditions. I am proud of Prince William that he has won his wings and is now cleared to operate planes and helicopters such as the daunting Chinook.
You are quite right about the land. Most of the land the nobility occupies in addition to quite a lot of the land the common people call theirs in Great Britain once belonged to the sovereign until it was confiscated. In fact, much of the wealth of titled, landed nobility and gentry originated in gifts from the sovereign. Henry VIII disbanded the monastaries and nunneries when he decided to become supreme head of the Church in England, took the considerable land holdings and wealth of the church and while he kept a great deal of it for himself, he gave some of it to friends. I find it very annoying when people complain about the expense of the Royals. It was all theirs, after all.
By Gigi on April 20th, 2008 at 11:22 am
And the Prince of Wales lives entirely off the Duchy of Cornwall estate, paying 25pc income tax, which is much more than the average big business or non-dom pay.
By John on April 20th, 2008 at 11:27 am
The Daily Mail article also reports that Prince William will begin a 3-month attachment to the Royal Navy in June. Does that make it more likely that an engagement might be announced in, say, late September or October?
By Evelyn on April 20th, 2008 at 12:12 pm
Well, Evelyn, he’ll be back in the Army then until January, so we’ll have another Christmas of “will they, won’t they?”
I do believe May/early June would be optimum. But they may have other ideas.
By John on April 20th, 2008 at 12:25 pm
REgardless of whether this trip was approved by someone, it doesn’t look good. Two wrong landings in a row. It’s all about perception in the public eyes. I think William shouldn’t try to “kill two birds at once”.
By Marilyn on April 20th, 2008 at 12:43 pm
Agree with everything John says about William’s Chinook landing in the Middleton fields. Go William! (And Kate too!)
By Amity on April 20th, 2008 at 3:02 pm
I wonder if people would be making as much of a fuss if William landed the Chinook in the backyard of his Granny’s Windsor Castle weekend retreat. Probably not.
Viscount Severn is a handsome, robust baby boy who looks the picture of health in this Christening photo. Hopefully, all his medical woes are behind him. Mom and Dad look very happy, also.
By Arthur on April 20th, 2008 at 3:14 pm
Louise was not mentioned as being there. There was not even a reason given. All other second babies had their siblings there William at 2 was front and center at Harry’s and Beatrice was at Eugenies. So I have to question why is Louise never photographed with the family even going to church as the other royal grandchildren were when they were small.
By Trudie on April 20th, 2008 at 5:40 pm
Trudie, perhaps we will see Lady Louise on May 17th as a flower girl at her cousin Peter Phillip’s wedding to Autumn Kelly.
By Arthur on April 20th, 2008 at 5:54 pm
John, thank you for your info on who is paying for the royal
family. I thought that the tax payers did much like our
president. Next, I am glad that Chelsy got invited to the wedding. It will be great that everyone will be at the wedding.
It will be a grand occasion. In a way all of the things that are happening now(ski trip, wing ceremony, helicopter) are taking this relationship in a new direction. It seems that it is more public than it had been. Maybe, they are getting people ready for an announcement. I do think that the earlier the better. Kate has been keeping a very low profile. It must be hard on her to be in limbo. But then I think that things should have already been decided. Maybe, I am the one in limbe with this?
By kat on April 21st, 2008 at 12:12 am
Surely Prince William and Kate will wait until after May to announce their engagement, so as not to steal the spotlight from the wedding of Peter Philips and Autumn Kelly. After that, I should say we have an open field! It would not surprise me if the engagement is announced in June or as soon after that which suited both parties.
By Gigi on April 21st, 2008 at 5:21 am
Trudie, I’m sure that Sophie and Edward are not ashamed of their little girl. I saw a picture of her recently and she is adorable, supposedly very like the Queen as a child.
The pictures you mention of previous christenings with the older siblings had all the family and god parents too. I’m sure such a photo was taken and it included Lady Louise. The photo they made public is of James coz, as John says, it was his day and to be fair its a beautiful picture of all three. Maybe vanity meant they picked the best one to publish.
And Arthur, I would imagine that James’ medical woes are long behind him. The reason he had to go to hospital was because he was allergic to cows milk!!!
Now don’t get me started on how a royal six week old baby was given cows milk in the first place. It beggars belief.
The world and its mother knows its either breast milk or formula for the first year so I would dearly like to meet the idiot who put the little boy in hospital by giving him cows milk.
Anyway I can only presume that he is being properly cared for now as he is a very bonny handsome baby.
By Eliza on April 21st, 2008 at 10:32 am
He may not of been given cows milk, he could of had the reaction to it, via his mother breast feeding him.
By byrdslover on April 21st, 2008 at 12:28 pm
We saw a very good photo of Lady Louise, in a window, with her nurse and her Mother, watching the Trooping the Color Parade for the Queen’s 80th Birthdday, I believe. She did, indeed, greatly resemble photos we have seen of the Queen as a small child.
By Gigi on April 21st, 2008 at 3:31 pm
I don’t know if anyone noticed but on the British Monarchy website there is a picture of the christening and they write of Viscount Severn: ‘His Royal Highness’ was born on December 17… I didn’t think they would use this title…
By oyal- Canada on April 24th, 2008 at 11:43 pm