Prince Nicolas of Sweden was christened today in an intimate ceremony attended by the Swedish Royal Family. The baby prince, the second child of Princess Madeleine and Chris O’Neill, was baptized at the Drottngingholm Palace Church in Stockholm and afterwards his maternal grandparents, King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia, hosted a reception for guests.
Nicolas Paul Gustaf, who was born on June 15th 2015 in the Swedish capital and is sixth in line for his country’s throne, arrived for his baptism in the arms of his mother. His sister, nineteen month old Princess Leonore, was carried into the church for the service by their father.
The baby prince wore a gown first used at the baptism of his great grandfather, Gustaf Adolf, and he was christened at the traditional late 17th century font. One of his godparents, his maternal uncle Prince Carl Philip, poured spring water from Oland into the font before Archbishop Antje Jackelen christened Nicolas.
The event was watched by his grandparents on one side of the font who were accompanied in the front row by Crown Princess Victoria, Prince Daniel, Princess Estelle and Princess Sofia. On the other side were his godparents – the other five are Catharine van Horn, Gustaf Magnuson, Countess Natascha Abensperg und Traun, Henry d’Abo and Marco Wajselfisz.
At the time of his birth, Prince Nicolas was given the title of Duke of Angermanland by King Carl XVI Gustaf and during his christening the choir sang Angermanland Song in honour of his link to this northern part of Sweden. And the Swedish king also presented Nicolas with the Order of the Seraphim, the country’s highest order which is usually only presented to members of the Royal Family and heads of state.
Following the christening, Princess Madeleine and her husband presented their son to the media and were joined by his godparents for photographs. And, as is traditional, as the new parents greeted guests – who included Sweden’s Prime Minister – at the reception afterwards their baby son rested in Karl XV’s cradle which was made in the early 19th century.
And the palace walls will be celebrating at least one more christening in the year to come as Princess Madeleine’s sister, Crown Princess Victoria, is expecting her second child in March next year.
