Days after Princess Charlotte Elizabeth Diana was christened at Sandringham, the official christening photos, taken by the royals' favorite photographer Mario Testino, were shared to the public.
The photos, which were released on Thursday, July 9, were taken in the much-anticipated ceremony at the Church of St. Mary Magdalene in Sandringham, England on Sunday, July 5. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge picked four photos to be shared to the public, and within an hour of being published on the Kensington Palace official Instagram account, the photos have already garnered thousands of likes and comments.
To coincide with the release of the photos, Kensington Palace released this statement:
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and their whole family had a wonderful day on Sunday and were delighted to share the special occasion with the thousands of people who came to Sandringham. They are very happy to share these photographs and hope that everyone enjoys them as much as they do."
In the main family portrait, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge sit together on a sofa in the Drawing room at Sandringham House with their son, Prince George, 2, Princess Charlotte, 2 months, and Queen Elizabeth II. Standing behind them are Michael, Pippa, James, and Carole Middleton, alongside Prince Charles, the Duchess of Cornwall, and the Duke of Edinburgh.
Another photo shows the Cambridges in their first official photograph as a family of four. The shot, taken at the Sandringham Garden, shows the Duchess carrying Princess Charlotte while Prince William held Prince George in his arms.
A black and white shot shows Prince George and Prince William in a tender father and son moment as the 32-year old grins at his son, who is smiling widely for the camera. The last photo shows the Duchess lovingly looking down at her daughter while Princess Charlotte gazes at the camera.
Testino has long been a favorite of the royal family. The photographer famously took pictures of Princess Diana for her last iconic shoot for Vanity Fair magazine two months before she died. He also took the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's official engagement photo, which shows the couple smiling and hugging each other, with Princess Diana's engagement ring prominently shown on the Duchess' hand.
In a statement to the Daily Mail, the 60-year old photographer said that photographing Princess Charlotte's christening was "an amazing experience."
"What impressed me the most was the energy of the family, and of that between the Duke and Duchess. One sees how solid they are together and one gets a sense of their strong family values," said Testino.
