I don’t spend much time or effort on men’s fashion. I can see when a man is well-dressed or snazzy, and I can see when a man is uncomfortable and/or doesn’t give a sh-t about clothes. King Charles is someone who enjoys clothes and, even with all of his many moral failings, I often think he looks quite snazzy. Charles’s heir didn’t inherit that quality. William doesn’t give a sh-t. He turns up in wrinkled jackets and robes. His pants are never tailored properly and I’m disgusted every time I see that man’s moose knuckle. His awkward body language and bad posture ruin most of his outfits too. Well, it turns out that William does care about one thing: he cares about not adhering to any of the monarchy’s dress codes.
Princes William and Harry attracted much attention that evening in May 2016 because, like their grandfather Prince Philip, they were wearing their striking ‘Windsor uniforms’. Designed to demonstrate loyalty, the matching navy and red coats are a historic piece of regalia introduced by ‘mad’ King George III more than 200 years ago which are still worn by senior Royals at Windsor Castle today. Created in 1777, the original version featured heavy gold braiding and a bicorne hat trimmed with ostrich feathers, which George III demanded all of his courtiers and ministers wear. The version that exists today is markedly simpler: a plain navy tailcoat with red facings.
This week, the Windsor uniform made another appearance for the state banquet in honour of French president Emmanuel Macron. King Charles, Prince Edward and Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence, husband of Princess Anne, all wore the uniform with pride.
William, however, chose a different outfit. Instead of co-ordinating with his father, the heir to the throne chose to wear white tie. This was, I am told, no accident.
‘His Royal Highness dressed appropriately, but does not need to match his father on all occasions,’ a courtier told me. ‘It’s no secret that William does not feel hidebound by tradition. He respects tradition, but does not believe that we always have to follow it.’
Given that William was prepared to wear the uniform for his beloved grandmother, it could be seen as an act of rebellion that he chose not to put it on now his father is on the throne. But it is not the first time William has demonstrated his unease with some of the more antiquated sartorial traditions maintained by the King. For example, when His Majesty hosted a reception for the Diplomatic Corps at Buckingham Palace last November, he wore white tie with traditional knee breeches and buckled shoes. William, however, chose modern trousers and shoes. The fact that this seemed to be a sensitive subject may have been emphasised by the Palace’s decision to release photographs of the event that showed William mainly from the waist up.
And that’s not the only sartorial sore point for the Prince of Wales. As a sign of their deep affection for Scotland – where they own several properties including Balmoral – male members of the Royal Family traditionally wear kilts when north of the border. Yet William – who holds the Scottish titles of Duke of Rothesay, Earl of Carrick, Baron of Renfrew and Lord of the Isles, and is of course the heir to the Scottish throne – has not been seen in a kilt since he was a little boy. And there is no sign that will change.
My sources tell me William’s willingness to break royal wardrobe tradition is in keeping with his attitude to the monarchy in general.
‘William is determined to be a different type of monarch,’ a courtier tells me.
They point to his refusal to have any investiture ceremony to mark his becoming Prince of Wales in 2022. The absence of red cloth on William’s collars at the Windsor banquet this week may seem a trivial detail, but it is a highly significant sign of what to expect from the next royal reign.
It’s just too funny that a 42-year-old heir-to-the-throne’s big rebellion is “not wearing a certain coat.” William really throws full-on tantrums about wearing pants, right? “I don’t want to wear knickerbockers, I’M GOING TO BE KING!” The Rebel Heir’s big cause is not really environmentalism or football, but the right to wear wrinkled clothes and avoid all sartorial traditions. I also wonder if some of these pants-tantrums are really about Prince Harry’s glow-up. I mean, even when Harry shopped in bargain bins, he still wore clothes well, in that effortless way common to charismatic, attractive people. But Harry definitely started to take more care with his appearance, wearing good-quality suits and great sportswear. I do feel like that factors into whatever is going on with Willy’s clothing tantrums.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images, Kensington Palace’s social media.
