When Prince William and Princess Kate welcomed their first child, Prince George, in 2013, royal fans were delighted. The young prince was christened three months later at the Chapel Royal in St James's Palace, marking the first time in nearly 120 years that four generations of the royal line of succession were pictured together.
While the christening followed many royal traditions—such as using the ornate Lily Font and water from the River Jordan—the choice of godparents represented a significant break from protocol. Historically, royal children were given strictly royal godparents, often blood relatives. However, only one member of the royal family was chosen among George's seven godparents: Zara Tindall, William's cousin, who does not hold a royal title.
Royal author Valentine Low noted in his book Courtiers that this decision marked a modern era for the monarchy. Zara, born just 13 months apart from William, has always shared a close bond with him, making her an obvious choice. Royal commentator Victoria Arbiter explained that for William, trust is paramount, and Zara understands royal life without the associated pressures.
The remaining six godparents were close friends and family members without royal titles, including Oliver Baker, Hugh Grosvenor (the Duke of Westminster), Emilia Jardine-Paterson, Julia Samuels, and William van Custem. This trend continued with Princess Charlotte's godparents in 2015 and Prince Louis's in 2018, all chosen from among William and Kate's inner circle rather than from the royal family.
