Why the Queen will probably miss royal baby Archie's christening

19 June 2019, 15:37

The Christening of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's first child is expected to take place in the first week of July.

While royal fans look forward to their next glimpse of Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor at his christening, it has been reported that the Queen will not attend.

According to The Sunday Times, the Queen has prior engagements which conflict with the special day.

The monarch previously attended the christenings of both Prince George and Princess Charlotte in 2013 and 2015, but missed Prince Louis' baptism in 2018.

"The decision [for the Queen and Prince Philip to miss Louis's christening] was not made on health grounds, Buckingham Palace says, and it is understood to have been mutually agreed by the Queen and the Cambridges some time ago," the Press Association announced last year.

The Queen has had a busy year in 2018, attending the 100th anniversary of the Royal Air Force, and meeting with US President Donald Trump at Windsor Castle, in the days leading up to Louis' christening.

Buckingham Palace has yet to confirm the date for Archie's christening, but it is expected to take place in the first week of July.

St George's Chapel is likely to be the venue of the christening, the same place where Prince Harry was baptised in 1984. It was also the place Harry and Meghan married in May 2018.

Other senior royals including Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall, and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are expected to attend, along with Meghan's mother Doria.

Harry and Meghan recently released brand new photos of baby Archie on Instagram.