Kate Middleton's Royal Christening of Prince George Is Small Ceremony

Prince William and Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, took Prince George to St. James Palace Wednesday for his royal christening before a small group of family and friends.

CNN reported that Prince George's christening before the Church of England was a low-key event, a major difference from past ceremonies that Prince William and his father Prince Charles held at Buckingham Palace.

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Prince Charles and Prince Harry were among the few invited to the ceremony, along with Kate Middleton's parents, Carole and Michael Middleton, and her siblings, James and Pippa.

Prince George will have seven godparents, including Prince William's cousin Zara Tindall, daughter of Princess Anne, and close friends of the couple.

Kate, Duchess of Cambridge holds Prince George after his christening RT @YLifestyleUK pic.twitter.com/qga8fED0Fs

— British Royals (@britishroyals) October 23, 2013

The first photo of Prince George from the royal christening | http://t.co/P8zJUmzA5o pic.twitter.com/j9KtnQqQEC

— TIME LightBox (@timepictures) October 23, 2013

Royal baby photos: #PrinceGeorge's christening http://t.co/EcLEvEInlN pic.twitter.com/bP8wz6EK2v

— LA Times Photography (@latimesphotos) October 23, 2013

Other godparents include Oliver Baker, a friend of William and Kate from St. Andrew's University; Emilia Jardine-Paterson, who went to school with Kate; and William van Cutsem, a childhood friend of William.

Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton, a former private secretary to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry; Julia Samuel, who was a good friend of William's mother, Diana, Princess of Wales; and Earl Grosvenor, son of the Duke of Westminster, were also named godparents.

People magazine posted photos that the Palace released Thursday of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince George taken after the christening.  

The photos, taken by Jason Bell, show Queen Elizabeth sitting with three generations of heirs — the Queen, 87, with her son Prince Charles, 64; Prince William, 31; and 3-month-old Prince George. The photographs pay homage to a photograph taken in 1894 of Queen Victoria with her four living immediate heirs at the christening of then Prince Edward Albert of York.

British monarchy captured in official christening shots: http://t.co/H83VLZSwOw pic.twitter.com/WgCLFwzi7J

— Rappler (@rapplerdotcom) October 25, 2013

Prince George, born July 22, was baptized in a replica of the lace and satin christening gown made for Queen Victoria's eldest daughter, Victoria, the Princess Royal, in 1841, BBC News reported. 

Prince William and Kate Middleton chose two hymns, two lessons, and two anthems for the christening. The hymns were "Breathe on Me, Breath of God" and "Be Thou My Vision."

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