Prince Louis’ Official Christening Portraits Released by Kensington Palace

The British royal family released a series of official photos from Prince Louis’ christening on Monday at The Chapel Royal at St. James’ Palace.

While the photos give an opportunity to look at the royal family together, there are two notable absences.

Prince Louis’ great-grandparents, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, were not at the christening. According to the U.K. Press Association, the decision “was not made on health grounds, Buckingham Palace says, and it is understood to have been mutually agreed by the Queen and the Cambridges some time ago.”

However, the Queen still found a way to be in the photo, even if she was not physically there. Behind Michael Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge’s father, you can spot a portrait of Queen Elizabeth.

The photos were taken by Matt Holoak of Camera Press. The first one shows Prince William and Kate Middleton sitting on a couch with Prince Louis on his mother’s lap, and Prince George and Princess Charlotte next to their parents.

The back row shows Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, Camilla Parker Bowles, Prince Charles, Carole and Michael Middleton, Pippa Middleton, James Matthews and James Middleton.

A second photo shows the more immediate family, with Prince William and Kate joined only by Camilla, Charles, Harry and Markle. A third photo has just Prince William, a beaming Kate and their three children.

Lastly, Kensington Palace also shared an adorable photo in the garden at Clarence House, where a smiling Kate holds Louis in her arms.

Prior to Louis’ baptism, the royal family released the list of Louis’ six godparents. That is one more than Charlotte, but one less than George, in case they are competing.

Louis’ godmothers are Lady Laura Meade; Hannah Carter, a close friend of Kate’s from Marlborough College; Lucy Middleton, Kate’s cousin; and close friends Nicholas van Cutsem, Harry Aubrey-Fletcher and Guy Pelly. Meade’s husband, James Meade, is one of Charlotte’s godfathers.

Louis was born on Monday, April 23 at 11:01 a.m. at St. Mary’s Hospital’s Lindo Wing. He weighed 8 lb., 7 oz. at birth. His name is believed to be a tribute to Lord Louis Mountbatten, Prince Philip’s uncle. Louis is also George’s middle name and a name shared with 18 French kings.

Louis’ birth also pushed Harry down the line of succession to the British throne. Louis is fifth, after his grandfather, father and two older siblings. Notably, Louis is the first prince to be ranked lover than his sister thanks to the recently modernized Succession of the Crown Act.

Photo credit: Twitter/Kensington Palace