A Royal Arrival

This tiny display packs a hefty historical punch. Prince George may be safely cocooned away from the limelight, but the Museum of London has capitalised on the public interest and drawn from its collections lilliputian clothes worn by other royal babies. A line of baby shoes that belonged to Queen Victoria’s offspring seems superficially sweet, and yet the ghosts of aristocratic children linger. Artefacts remembering royal baptisms past include a cup for the christening of George IV's only child, Princess Charlotte. Bringing things up to date are a postcard of our own Queen's christening in 1926, as well as magazine cuttings for Duke William of Cambridge's visit to the font in 1982. But our favourite object is a 160-year-old slice of christening cake for Queen Victoria's nippers.