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Prince Louis christening: Baby wears 10-year-old gown with a royal history

When Prince Louis was christened Monday in the Chapel Royal at St. James' Palace in London, he wore a 10-year-old gown with a centuries-spanning royal history.

Louis' gown is a near-exact replica of the garment that was first worn in 1841 by Queen Victoria's eldest daughter, Princess Victoria. Inspired by the design of Victoria's wedding dress and believed to have been made of the same silk and lace, the garment was worn by 62 royal babies at their christenings over the next 163 years, including Prince Charles, Prince William, and Prince Harry.

After the christening of Lady Louise Windsor in 2004, the original gown was deemed too fragile, and in 2008, Queen Elizabeth II's dresser, Angela Kelly, and Buckingham Palace's team of dressmakers created a new garment for future royal christenings.

The first baby to wear the new gown was James, Lady Louise's younger brother, in 2008. Since then, it's been worn by Louis' siblings, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, as well as other royal offspring.

Prince Louis' christening was the first time the public has seen the Cambridge family of five together since the baby's birth on April 23. Louis is the sixth great-grandchild of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, and fifth in line to the throne. Baptized with the full name of Louis Arthur Charles of Cambridge, he was celebrated in a private ceremony in the same small chapel whereGeorge was christened in October 2013.

Alongside Louis' parents, Prince William and Duchess Kate, were his grandfather, Prince Charles, and his wife, Duchess Camilla of Cornwall; his uncle Prince Harry and wife Duchess Meghan of Sussex; his maternal grandparents, Carole and Michael Middleton; his aunt Pippa Middleton Matthews and her husband, James Matthews; and uncle James Middleton.