The birth of a new royal baby is a cause for celebration for both the family itself and the wider population, symbolising the continuity and history of the royal family, as well as hope for the future. The official announcement of a birth in the direct line of succession is displayed in the forecourt of Buckingham Palace for the large crowds who traditionally gather to await news.

The chirstening of a royal child, which usually happens soon after their birth, is an occasion of both personal religious significance for the family and symbolic importance for the country, since, as 'Defender of the Faith and Supreme Governor of the Church of England', the monarch has a very close connection with the church. Baptism is the formal welcome of a new baby into the Church of England and the ceremony is bound up with tradition and history. Several royal babies have been baptised at Buckingham Palace.