Princess Anne 'not invited' to key event so Kate and William 'could bring close friends'

This included the Princess Royal - William’s aunt - who was not one of the 22 people invited to witness the ceremony performed by the newly appointed Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby.

Robert Jobson, a royal author, wrote in his book Catherine: A Biography: “The baptism of Prince George was relatively low-key considering his royal rank.

“Just three months after his birth, and once the Queen was back from Scotland, he was baptised on 23 October in the tiny Chapel Royal in St James’s Palace by the new Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, with a congregation of twenty-two.

“It comprised the Queen and Prince Philip, Charles and Camilla, Harry, Catherine’s parents Michael and Carole, her brother James and sister Pippa, and the seven godparents and their spouses.

“William’s uncles, the Duke of York and the Earl of Wessex, and his aunt, Princess Anne, were among those who had been left off the list so that the Cambridges could invite close friends.”

In a break with tradition, only one of the baby's godparents was from the royal family - Zara Tindall.

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The other six were friends of William and Kate's. These are said to have included William’s long-time aide Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton and Princess Diana’s good friend Julia Samual.

William van Cutsem, who has recently been employed by the Duchy of Cornwall estate, also attended the private service - where the Archbishop of Canterbury baptised the future king using water from the River Jordan.

After the ceremony, Queen Elizabeth II posed with her three heroes - then Prince Charles, William and infant George.

It was the first time a monarch had posed with three of their heirs since 1899 - when Queen Victoria posed with Edward VII, George V and Edward VIII.

Dressed in a handmade replica of Queen Victoria’s daughter’s christening robe from 1841, the young prince bore a striking resemblance to his father at a similar age.

Baby George was apparently quiet as can be: “He went in smiling, came out smiling and, as far as we are aware, smiled throughout,” said one aide.

Jobson states the low-key affair was in “stark contrast” to William’s christening in 1982.

The next-in-line to the throne was christened at Buckingham Palace, and thousands of onlookers gathered outside.