Prince Harry's lavish $15,000 gift for the christening of Prince Louis

news.com.au

10 Jul, 2018 02:29 AM2 mins to read

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex depart after attending the christening of Prince Louis. Photo / Getty Images

He may not have gotten the call up to be godfather, but Prince Harry has proven he's a very dedicated uncle.

The Duke of Sussex, 33, forked out a whopping $15,000 on a present for his three-month-old nephew Prince Louis, who was christened at the Chapel Royal in St James's Palace on Monday.

According to reports, Harry marked the occasion with an incredibly rare first-edition copy of A.A. Milne's Winnie-the-Pooh — dating back to 1926 — which he bought from Peter Harrington, a rare bookstore in London.

It's understood he's keen to build up a library for his nephews Prince Louis and Prince George, 4, and niece Princess Charlotte, 4, in memory of the late Princess Diana.

"One of Harry's happiest childhood memories was being read a bedtime story by his mother," a source told The Sun.

"She loved all the old classics and Harry had the brilliant idea of starting a little library of first editions for Louis, Charlotte and George to enjoy as they get older."

The Duchess of Cambridge carries Prince Louis as they arrive for his christening service. Photo / Getty Images

According to the insider, he originally planned on buying a copy of Lewis Carrol's Through The Looking Glass for Prince Louis — at a cost of $46,400 — but decided Winnie-the-Pooh was more appropriate.

Prince Harry and his new wife Meghan Markle, 36, were among just 30 guests invited to Louis' christening.

The former Suits star wore an olive green Ralph Lauren dress, along with a matching Stephen Jones fascinator and green heels.

Before the ceremony, Meghan was spotted sharing a laugh with the Most Reverend Justin Welby, who also baptised her ahead of her wedding to Harry in May.

While they obviously hold the titles of Louis' aunt and uncle, the couple have missed out on being named as godparents.