Figure 1.--Princess Albert and Princess Elizabeth are seen here in 1907 with princes Leopold and Charles. The portrait was pubkished in 1907, it may have been taken a year or so ealier. This was two years before Albert became king. Note the difference in the clothing and hair styles of the two princes. |
The princes hair was styled differently at various ages. Some of the younger styles appear quite fanciful. Presumably Queen Elizabeth was the one who decided on these styles. I'm not sure who she may have discussed or if she consulted with the King. The Queen oftem styled the boys hair identically. The only exception to this was when Prince Charles was very young and had not yet had his hair cut while his older brother did have his curls cut. As younger boys they wore bangs and cuurly hair over their ears, but not to shoulder length. She seems to have had their hair cut shorter at about 6 years of age.
The princes hair was styled differently at various ages. This was a common device used by parents in the late 19th and early 20th century, making small differences in the hair styles and clothing styles. Clearly it was considered appropriate for younger boys to wear their hair longer than older boys. The boys even at a young age did not wear long curls or shoulder length hair. Apparently the boys had their hair cut short, but with bangs at about 6 years of age. They still, however, wore rather juvenile clothes for many years after their hair was cut,
Figure 2.--Princes Leopold and Charles pictured here about 1907 or 08 wear identical blue long pants sailor suits. The only difference is that Leopold has his hair cut short and Charles still has long hair |
Some of the younger styles appear quite fanciful. They did not wear ringlets, but did wear a rather frizy style. As younger boys they wore bangs and curly hair over their ears, but not to shoulder length. The Queen seems to have had their hair cut shorter at about 6 years of age. They continued wearing bangs with their short hair.
Prince Charles (Karl) here wears long uncut hair. If the 1907 date for this portrait is correct, Charles would have been 3-4 years old. He looks somewhat younger. It looks, however, amazingly frizzy. HBRC is unsure if this was a natural style oe in fact the result of hair styling. HBRC has not noted a lot of children wearing hair that is naturally so frizzy. While the hair is long, it is not shoulder length.
Prince Leopold, the older brother, wears a hair style which HBRC does not know how to describe. It is short on top, but frizy like his younger brother on the side. HBRC has no details, but you would like that this hair do almost certainly was styled. It is not a style which would have occurred natuarally. Leopold would have been 5-6 years old.
Older photographs of the boys show them with short hair worn with carefully cut bangs.
Presumably Ptincess Elizabeth (before 1909) was the one who decided on these styles. I'm not sure who she may have discussed or if she consulted with the King. The younger hair styles of the princes are so elabiorate that certainly she must have discussed them with her confidents.
The Queen oftem styled the boys hair identically. The only exception to this was when Prince Charles was very young and had not yet had his hair cut while his older brother did have his curls cut. Once Peibce Charles was about 7, both boys wore the same short hair styles.
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