Church where Kate Middleton was christened closes down

St Andrew's Church, Bradfield

The church where the Duchess of Cambridge and her sister were christened has held its final service.

St Andrew's Church, Bradfield, is closing its doors for good because its attendance levels have dropped off and it can no longer afford the high maintenance costs, the BBC reports. 

The 160-year-old church is where the Duchess and her sister, Pippa Middleton, were baptised in the 1980s. 

The last service was conducted by the Bishop of Reading and former verger Sue Kerr said its closure was a "very emotional time".

The BBC previously reported a potential sale of the church to the nearby Bradfield, a co-educational boarding school for girls and boys aged 13 to 18. 

The Duchess was confirmed in the Church of England prior to her wedding to the Duke of Cambridge in 2011. 

It was reported at the time that the decision was a reflection of her "personal journey" of faith.

The confirmation at St James's Palace was presided over the Bishop of London and attended by her family and Prince William.

The Duchess's own child, Prince George, was christened last year at the Royal Chapel at St James's Palace by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby.

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