MAN FRIDAY STYLE LESSONS FROM THE ROYAL MEN
The new member of the Firm has some stylish forebears to take tips from, says
Forgive me if you’re saturated with royal baby news already, but with the new arrival and Prince Harry’s forthcoming nuptials, the younger generation of Windsors are firmly in the spotlight this spring (and isn’t it rather nice to have some jubilant news for once?).
The new baby Cambridge (still unnamed at the time of going to press) joins the ranks of royal men who have quietly defined themselves by their refined, polished, respectful sense of style. Harry Styles might be sporting the latest Gucci floral bomber, David Beckham might have inked himself with more tattoos, but for style with staying power, it’s worth looking at the way the men of the royal household dress.
Much has been made of the late Duke of Windsor’s sartorial panache; he brought Fair
Isle to the rarefied strata, he could look pin-sharp in traditional tailoring, but mixed it up with informal jackets and a flair for accessories, and he took a cue from Hollywood matinee idol style in white tie and tails. The Crown has shone a light on his debonair wardrobe, aided by the couture clothes-horse, Wallis Simpson, but he’s by no means the only royal fellow who knows his way around a Savile Row emporium. The Duke of Edinburgh has, in his own deft way, negotiated a tricky path; looking the part while never upstaging the main attraction, his wife. These pages have previously looked into his style legacy; splendid military attire that looks particularly officious thanks to his imposing frame, married with traditional tailoring and casual – but elegant – sporting pieces.
It’s little wonder that his son has adopted a similarly stately mode of dress, alongside pieces that speak to a more adventurous side. The Prince of Wales – who regularly tops GQ magazine’s best-dressed list – has a fine roster of suits in heritage checks, tweeds and wools (he’s a patron of the Campaign for Wool to raise awareness of its environmental virtues). But his less ceremonial attire and the way he puts it together also nods to a man who is considered in all aspects of his life (why else travel with his own toilet seat?). Crisp cream linens for polo, brass-buttoned regatta jackets, some devastatingly chic safari attire and a fine line of Barbour jackets and Burberry trench coats demonstrate his appreciation of well-made, appropriate attire that makes an impact.
While it remains to be seen whether Princes William and Harry will inherit that panache – although they have taken a tip from his Savile Row suiting – the former has been spotted in more adventurous velvet slippers from Arthur Sleepers. Meanwhile, there’s an Instagram account devoted to Prince George’s jaunty shorts and pie-crust collar shirts; big brother clearly has a few things to teach the new arrival. And his style-literate forebears can teach the British man a few things, too.