A christening robe worn by 62 royal babies is going on display for the first time ever

Beginning on April 10, the Royal Collection Trust will unveil Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style—a retrospective exhibit at the King’s Gallery in Buckingham Palace, which will celebrate the singular fashion of Queen Elizabeth II with over 200 pieces on display from all ten decades of her life.

While the featured garments will include everything from the late monarch’s wedding dress to her coronation gown, early this morning it was revealed that one of the most notable inclusions will be her christening robe, which was made around 185 years ago and has been worn by a total of 62 royal babies.

Royal christening robe

As noted by the Royal Collection Trust, this is a historic moment, as it is believed this is the first time the robe has ever been on public display.

Designed by Janet Sutherland, the robe was first worn in 1841 by Queen Victoria’s eldest child, Princess Victoria. Since that christening, it has been passed down for generations, being worn by everyone from Queen Elizabeth II in 1926 (when she was only a month old) to Prince William in 1982.

Prince William wears the gown at his christening in 1982.

However, in 2004, Queen Elizabeth determined that the robe had become too fragile, and she commissioned a replica to be made, which has been worn by all the royal babies since.

The original is made of “cream Spitalfields silk from East London and overlaid with fine Honiton lacemade in Devon,” as noted by the Royal Collection Trust. The silks, while some of the finest materials available at the time, were also quite fragile, leading the design to need a number of restorations over the years. For this exhibit, the robe underwent over 100 hours of conservation work.

Queen Elizabeth (then Princess Elizabeth’s) christening in 1926.

The piece will be displayed alongside a note from Queen Elizabeth, where she kept a record of all the babies who wore the robe (a tradition started by her grandmother, Queen Mary).

Queen Elizabeth II’s handwritten note detailing all the royal babies who wore the christening robe.

“The christening robe was the most significant garment worn by Princess Elizabeth in her infancy and is an exceptional example of British craftsmanship – something Queen Elizabeth went on to champion throughout her life,” exhibition curator Caroline de Guitaut said. “As the earliest piece of clothing worn by the Queen, and by so many royal babies before and after her, it holds a special place in her wardrobe. We are delighted to be able to share it with as many people as possible in this centenary year.”