The Royal Family put on a strong front for their first Sandringham Christmas in three years. Not only were all senior members of the family there, they were joined by the likes of Princess Beatrice's stepson and Lady Chatto, Charles’ cousin. It also marked Prince Louis’ first appearance at the Christmas service, but many people are asking why the young prince was wearing shorts on the cold, winter’s day.
- Prince Louis made his first appearance at the Royal Family’s Sandringham Christmas service, where the little prince delighted crowds and even accepted a small toy
- However, many people were wondering why Louis was wearing shorts on such a cold day – the reason being an old custom followed by English royals and aristocracy
- In other royal news, King Charles pays tribute to the most important lessons taught by his mother, the power of faith and service
Prince Louis stole the show at his first ever Christmas Day Sandringham service.
Joining the likes of his parents, Prince William and Kate Middleton, who rewore a chic khaki coat with a jaunty feathered hat, Louis was all smiles and waves as he greeted the Christmassy crowd.
Louis was even lucky enough to be given a Christmas toy from someone.
Despite his winning appearance, many have been asking the same thing – just why is the young royal in a pair of shorts in the dead of winter?
The answer, like most things to do with the Royal Family, dates back centuries.
Like his brother, Prince George, and even Princes William and Harry when they were younger, Louis follows a custom of the British aristocracy and upper classes.
Back in 2016, after the Royal Tour in Canada where people asked the same question about George’s shorts, royal expert William Hanson told Harper’s Bazaar that tradition dictates boys of the upper classes wear shorts year-round until they are about eight years old.
“Trousers are for older boys and men, whereas shorts on young boys is one of those silent class markers that we have in England,” he told the magazine. “Although times are (slowly) changing, a pair of trousers on a young boy is considered quite middle class — quite suburban. And no self-respecting aristo or royal would want to be considered suburban.”
The tradition, William suggests, likely comes from the centuries-old practice of “breeching.” Until the 1920s, boys in Western Europe were expected to wear dresses exclusively for the first years of their lives, according to the V&A Museum of Childhood.
Thus, the boy was “breeched” when he was given his first pair of short trousers (also known as breeches), usually in a formal ceremony marking his journey “from babyhood to boyhood.”
“Young boys would not have felt conspicuous,” the museum explains, “as at the time wearing a dress was considered normal, although they would have undoubtedly looked forward to getting their first trousers and being thought of as more grown-up.”
For Louis’ older brother, his first moment wearing trousers was a monumental one. George first wore a pair of long trousers at the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. Savile Row tailors Dege Skinner custom-made a frockcoat and trousers for George which resembled the Blues and Royals for William.
Since Louis is only four years old, he might have a few more winters wearing shorts ahead of him.
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