Andrew Mountbatten Windsor is set to take a key role in a royal
event held at one of the most prestigious palaces in London.
And his former wife, Sarah Ferguson, will also have a major
place at the event which could seen her come face to face with King
Charles just weeks after she gave up her courtesy title.
Princess Beatrice, elder of Andrew Mountbatten Windsor and Sarah
Ferguson’s two children, is set to have her younger child, Athena,
christened in the Chapel Royal at St. James’ Palace and it’s
expected that the baby’s grandparents will be in the front row of
the church for the event.
Athena, 11 months, is set to be baptised in the same place as
Prince George and Prince Louis were christened. The Chapel Royal is
within the walls of St. James’ Palace in the heart of London and
has been the setting for some of the most famous royal events in
history.
It was the church where Queen Victoria married Prince Albert in
February 1840 – Princess Beatrice has a keen interest in her great,
great, great, great grandmother to whom she bears something of a
resemblance. Beatrice and her husband, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, had
planned to wed in the chapel themselves. However, their wedding was
moved to Windsor because of the restrictions in the Covid
pandemic.
Another royal union is commemorated in the chapel – a ceiling
painting attributed to Hans Holbein commemorates the marriage of
Henry VIII and his fourth wife, Anne of Cleves.
It was Henry VIII who acquired what is now St. James’ Palace,
bringing it into the royal fold in 1531.
It remains popular with the Royal Family for events like
weddings and christenings as it is behind palace walls and offers
far more privacy than many other churches associated with big
celebrations.
The baptism will include several long standing traditions with
Athena set to wear the replica of the Honiton lace christening gown
that was commissioned by Queen Victoria when she gave birth to her
own first child, Victoria, in November 1840.
It’s not known whether any members of the wider Royal Family
will attend the christening. Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie
were both noticeably absent from the Christmas carol service
organised by the Princess of Wales last week although it is
understood both were invited.
It’s also not known whether either of them will be at
Sandringham for Christmas this year. Princess Eugenie missed the
celebrations last year although Princess Beatrice was there after
cancelling her plans to go to Italy at the last minute on the
advice of doctors.
Andrew Mountbatten Windsor has only been seen in public briefly
since he lost his HRH and title of Prince.
King Charles removed those as well as the titles of Duke of
York, Earl of Inverness and Baron Killyleagh after further
controversy over Andrew’s relationship with convicted sex offender,
Jeffrey Epstein.
Andrew Mountbatten Windsor is also set to move out of Royal
Lodge, the thirty room royal residence he has lived in for the last
twenty years. He surrendered the lease when The King took away his
titles.
It’s been reported that Sarah Ferguson, who shares the home with
him, will move to the Cotswolds with Princess Beatrice who has a
granny flat in the grounds of the house she shares with Edoardo
Mapelli Mozzi, Athena and their older daughter, Sienna. The family
also includes Wolfie, Edoardo’s son from a previous marriage.
It’s unlikely that any photos of the christening will emerge.
Princess Beatrice and Edoardo kept the baptism of their four year
old, Sienna, private when it took place.
