Meghan Markle and Prince Harry causes outrage as they announce baby Archie’s christening will be a private event

4 July 2019, 13:16

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s son Archie Harrison Mountbatten Windsor will be christened this weekend.

By Alice Dear

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced the christening will take place at a “small and private” ceremony by the Archbishop of Canterbury in the Private Chapel at Windsor Castle.

In the statement released by Buckingham Palace, the couple also revealed that Archie’s godparents will remain private, writing: "The godparents, in keeping with their wishes, will remain private."

This christening will be unlike Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis’, which were all mostly public, with picture opportunities for the press of the royal family arriving and leaving.

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Instead, pictures of the christening will be released to the public by photographer Chris Allerton.

"The Duke and Duchess of Sussex look forward to sharing some images taken on the day by photographer Chris Allerton”, they wrote.

However, the controversial decision has left royal fans divided.

Royal correspondent Rebecca English Tweeted: “While the couple will be able to argue that releasing pictures taken by their own photographer is enough to satisfy public interest in such an historic event, they will find it less easy to justify their refusal to release details of the godparents.”

She added: “Unfortunately all it does is create more hysteria around an event that should be a simple celebration of Archie's birth.”

It has caused some hysteria, as fans argue whether Meghan and Harry are in the right to keep the event private.

One person argued on Twitter: “I get that they want to raise their kid as a private citizen, but then they've shared more pictures of the child than William and Catherine did of Prince George, third in line to the Throne, in his first 2 months of life. Something doesn't quite add up.”

Another person commented: “They can't have it both ways, they want the public to pay for their homes etc but don't want them to know details of Godparents? I'm afraid there has to be a little give and take here.”

A third person echoed these thoughts, explaining: “Either they are royal or not. They choose media when it suits them and live off the public purse.”

Others, however, have defended the royal couple’s decision, with one person sharing: “I fully support Harry & Meghan’s decision for the christening to be kept private. It’s there decision.”

When it comes to the decision to keep the godparents’ identities private, the statement appears to hint this is a decision made by the chosen godparents.

The christening will happen this Saturday, on July 6, with the public expected to be treated to a snap of the baby later that day on the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s social media accounts.

But what do you think? Should Meghan and Harry make the event public? Or have they made the right decision?