Royal | News - Prince Ricardo De La Cerda
Princess Anne made the decision to skip Prince Harry’s christening in 1984 due to “full scale” Royal Family row.
Although many other members of the family stepped out to celebrate the birth of the then-Prince Charles and the late Princess Diana’s second son, Anne refused to attend.
The christening of Prince Harry, then aged just three months, took place at Windsor Castle in December 1984.
Instead of attending the major event, along with the likes of the late Queen, Prince Philip and the Queen Mother, Anne made the decision to spend the day shooting with her then-husband Mark Phillips.
Following a “full scale family row”, a statement released by Buckingham Palace at the time stated that both Anne and Mark would not be in attendance.
As reported by the Mirror, the statement read: “Unfortunately neither of them could make it. They will be arriving in Windsor later in the day.”
Royal correspondent Ashley Walton previous claimed that Anne had refused to attend after being overlooked for the role as godmother for the second time.
She said: “Her displeasure grew into a full-scale family row when she learned that her younger brother Andrew was to be godfather to three-month-old Prince Harry, while she was again omitted. The Royal Family confidently expected Anne and Mark to arrive yesterday for the 11am ceremony. But as the baby was being baptised, the guns were blazing 100 miles away at Gatcombe Park.”
It was also reported that the late Prince Philip was also annoyed by the decision to not make Anne a godmother to Harry. It was also reported that he wasn’t speaking to Charles at the time of the christening.
Harry’s godparents became Prince Andrew, Lady Sarah Chatto – the daughter of Princess Margaret, Carolyn Bartholomew – Diana’s friend and former flatmate, royal artist Bryan Organ, Gerald Ward and Celia, Lady Vestey, who are both close friends of King Charles.