In keeping with their down-to-earth approach, Kate Middleton and Prince William have chosen friends over members of the royal family as Prince George's godparents. It will mark another breaking of royal traditions.

William's godparents at his christening in 1982 were: former King Constantine of Greece, the Duchess of Westminster, Princess Alexandra, the Honourable Lady Ogilvy, Lady Susan Hussey, Lord Romsey and Sir Laurens van der Post.

George's christening ceremony on 23 October rather than taking place in the music room at Buckingham Palace will be held in the Chapel Royal in St. James's Palace so it will also eschew the royal tradition. But the royal couple have chosen the chapel to give tribute to late Princess Diana as she lay at rest at the Chapel Royal in St James's Palace before her funeral at Westminster Abbey.

The 60-strong guest list for the George's christening ceremony has already sparked controversy because of its omission of many royal guests.

According to 'The Sunday Times', among those selected for the role of godparents are:

  1. Prince William's school friend Fergus Boyd (a partner at fund management firm Smith & Williamson, was in the same St. Andrews hall of residence as the couple, and studied history of art with Kate. The trio moved into a flat together in their second year and all shared the rented farmhouse, Balgove House, during the royal couple's final two years at university).
  2. Kate's Marlborough College friend Emilia d'Erlanger (is a long-term friend of William as well as a school friend of Kate. The co-founder of London-based interior design company D'Erlanger and Sloan, she is married to William's old friend David Jardine-Paterson).
  3. Hugh van Cutsem, one of the Prince's oldest childhood friends.(best known of the three godparents with very close links to the royal family. William acted as an usher at Hugh's 2005 wedding to Rose Astor, and is also a godfather to their daughter Grace, who was a flower girl at the royal wedding).

Watch Prince George Prepped for Modern Royal Christening in the video below:

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