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This set of four stamps commemorates the christening of Prince George of Cambridge on the 23rd October 2013. The stamps show Prince George and his forebears in their christening gowns.
35p. Elizabeth, Duchess of York (1900 - 2002) looking at her first child and future Queen, Princess Elizabeth. The Queen, who was not expected to be queen when born, was christened in the Palace's private chapel on 1 May 1926. (Photo by Speaight/Hulton Archive/Getty Images).
45p. Queen Elizabeth II holding her son, Prince Charles, after his christening ceremony in Buckingham Palace on 15 December 1948. With her is the Prince's Great Grandmother Queen Mary and grandfather, George VI. Picture by: PA/Press Association Images.
£1.10p. Diana, Princess of Wales (1961 - 1997) holding her son Prince William with Charles, Prince of Wales at Buckingham Palace after Prince William's christening ceremony 4 August 1982. (Picture by: PA/PA Archive/Press Association Images).
£1.50p. The official portrait for the christening of Prince George Alexander Louis of Cambridge, photographed in The Morning Room at Clarence House in London on October 23 2013. Pictured: Four generations: HM Queen Elizabeth II, HRH Prince of Wales and HRH Duke of Cambridge carrying HRH Prince George. Prince George is wearing an outfit made of delicate Honiton lace and white satin by Angela Kelly, an exact replica of the one worn before him by every baby born to the British Royal family since 1841. (Credit: Camera Press/Jason Bell/Camera Press).
First day cover. Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge talk to Queen Elizabeth II (not pictured) as they arrive, holding their son Prince George, at Chapel Royal in St James's Palace, ahead of the christening of the three month-old Prince George of Cambridge by the Archbishop of Canterbury on 23 October 2013. (Photo by John Stillwell - WPA Pool /Getty Images).
Prince George of Cambridge was born on 22 July, 2013 at St. Mary's Hospital in London. He is the first child of Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge (Catherine Elizabeth "Kate"; née Middleton). The Prince's birth was highly anticipated around the world and following royal tradition the official birth announcement was placed on an easel outside of Buckingham Palace. It read: "Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge was safely delivered of a son at 4.24 p.m. today. Her Royal Highness and her child are both doing well." Two days later we learned that he is to be called George Alexander Louis.
The only grandchild of Charles, Prince of Wales, and Diana, Princess of Wales, Prince George is third in line to succeed his great-grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, after his grandfather and father.
The christening of Prince George took place at the Chapel Royal, St James's Palace on 23 October 2013. By Royal standards this is a small and intimate place to christen a future king but is of great significance to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. It is where the Duchess was confirmed into the Church of England ahead of her wedding and where the family of Diana paid their respects privately ahead of her very public funeral.
Whilst the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have, as is often the case, done things their own way tradition certainly had its place. When Prince William was christened in 1982 he was dressed in the traditional lace and satin robe made for Queen Victoria's eldest daughter. Although the delicate outfit is no longer used Prince George wore an identical handmade christening gown. He was baptised over a font that was made for Queen Victoria's first child, with water from the River Jordan.
The christening was a rare outing for the young Prince and photographers eagerly sought their photos. Not since the reign of Victoria had three generations of direct heirs been alive at the same time, when the christening of the future King Edward VIII had afforded the opportunity for the four (Queen Victoria with the future Kings George V, Edward VII and VIII) to be photographed as a group. For the christening of Prince George arrangements had been made for a small number of official photographs to be taken by the photographer Jason Bell and of course one particular photo echoed that iconic image of Victoria (British Virgin Islands and Tristan da Cunha) and is therefore of great historical significance. Other beautiful and wonderfully intimate portraits of the young family taken that day by Jason Bell also appear in this series of postage stamps.
This celebratory collection, produced by the Commonwealth of The Bahamas and the UK Overseas Territories of Ascension Island, British Virgin Islands, Falkland Islands, South Georgia and Tristan da Cunha was inspired by the christening of Prince George and the echoes of that iconic photograph of Queen Victoria. In celebrating the christening of Prince George we look back at the christenings of Her Majesty and each of those in direct line to the throne. These framed portraits present a wonderful glimpse into the different eras that each of these Royal Princes and Princess were born; but in each image the delight, love and pride of the parents as they hold their first born child shines through the generations.
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