Christening at the castle for Sophie Wessex's sweet baby James

The Earl and Countess of Wessex's son was christened James Alexander Philip Theo yesterday in Windsor Castle's private chapel – where Princess Anne's son Peter Phillips is to marry Canadian Autumn Kelly next month.

Edward and Sophie beamed with pride as four-month-old James was baptised, the first male grandchild for the Queen since Harry was born 23 years ago.

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As Edward's eldest son, he will be known as Viscount Severn but will not have the title His Royal Highness.

The ceremony was watched by the Queen and Prince Philip, Princess Anne and Prince Andrew, who turned down an invitation to golfer Colin Montgomerie's wedding to be at his little nephew's big day.

Prince Charles and Camilla chose not to interrupt a weekend at their Aberdeenshire retreat of Birkhall.

James became the first Royal baby to wear a hand-made christening gown commissioned by the Queen.

The gown, made by the Queen's dresser Angela Kelly and Buckingham Palace's team of dressmakers, is a replica of one of Queen Victoria's daughters' christening gowns which was worn at subsequent Royal christenings, including that of James's four-year-old sister Louise, but has now been preserved.

James is the Queen's eighth grandchild and one observer said: "His sister Lady Louise absolutely dotes on her little brother.

"She kisses him and cuddles him and is a real little mother to him. It's lovely."

Like Louise, he has five godparents, all drawn from Edward and Sophie's thoroughly sensible "court".

There is Alistair Bruce, a Scots Guard Falklands veteran who taught Sophie to windsurf more than a decade ago and became a firm friend, Duncan Bullivant, Thomas Hill, Mrs Mark Poulton and Sophie's former flatmate, American Jeanye Irwin.

There was a champagne reception to wet the baby's head afterwards.

James was a much longed-for second baby, conceived naturally to his parents' surprise and delight after Sophie had undergone a series of failed IVF cycles.

He was delivered by caesarean at the couple's local NHS hospital, Frimley Park, in Surrey, and his birth had none of the drama of Lady Louise's.

She was born by emergency caesarean after Sophie was rushed into hospital suffering severe internal pains.

Sophie nearly died from blood loss during the birth and Lady Louise weighed just 4lb 8oz, spending the first two weeks of her life in intensive care.

When James was born it was, said Edward: "A lot calmer, I'm glad to say."

But at five weeks James was taken into Great Ormond Street children's hospital in London suffering from a mystery illness, which tests later revealed to have been due to a food intolerance.