Edward VII: Boyhood Clothing--Kilts


Figure 4.--Queen Victoria painted this water color of her eldest son, Bertie, in a Highland kilt. Like Edward's sailor suit, the kilts that he and his brothers wore set a style for British royals as well as many English and American boys often not to pleased with their Scottish attire.

Edward along with other outfits wore kilts as a boy, the first English prince to do so. I'm not sure when Victoria began dressing him in kilts, but I am aware of paintings as early as 1849 showing him in kilts, often with his brother Alfred. The boys appear to have worn kilts fifferently than was the case ffor dress occasions as well for everyday outdoor activities at Balmoral. They almost always wore kilts while in Scotland, but also sometimes in England as well. Edward and his brothers were the first generation of English royals to be outfitted in kilts, in deference to the Queen's great interest in Scotland or perhaps as a political gesture. I'm not sure when Edward was first outfitted in a kilt, but images show him in kilts as early as 1849. Romantic views of Scotland were populary literary and poetic themes of the day. There were also sound political reasons for forging links with the Scottish people. The Scotts at the time of Victoria's assescion tended to view the monarchy as an English institution. Thus Albert may have made some poltically astute suggestions. One side note Victoria did not dress the princesses in kilts. Future British princesses as well as British girls did wear kilts, but this fashion for the first generation of British royals was strictly reserved for the boys.

First Princes

Edward along with other outfits wore kilts as a boy, the first English prince to do so. I'm not sure when Victoria began dressing him in kilts, but I am aware of paintings as early as 1849 showing him in kilts, often with his brother Alfred.

Hosiery

All of the images we have seen of Edward and his brothers wearing kilts, always show them as boys wearing them with Argyl kneesocks. I am not sure this was the case with Edward as an adult, but as a boy I onkly note Argyle kneesocks.

Age

We note Edward as a boy and young teenager wearing kilts. These outfits were undoubtedly selected by his paraents. We do not know what he thought about this outfit. We are also notv sure to what extent he wore kilts as a young man after the deathbnogf his father. At this time he would have been choosing his own clothes. As an older man and king we have noted him wearing kilts.

Conventions

We are just beginning to develop information about the conventions for wearing kilts in the royal family. The boys appear to have worn kilts differently. We note them wearing kilts both for for dress occasions as well for everyday outdoor activities. They might wear kilts for dress occassions both in Scotland and also in England. They almost always wore kilts while in Scotland, both for dress occassions and for outdoor activities. Paintings show the boys wearing kilts for outdoor activities in Scotland. The kilt in England was, however, usually worn for more formal occassions. We are less sure about conventions at Osborne. We have seen photographs of Bertie's younger brothers wearing kilts there. We are less sure about Bertie and Alfred who were normally dressed similarly.

Reason

Edward and his brothers were the first generation of English royals to be outfitted in kilts, in deference to the Queen's great interest in Scotland or perhaps as a political gesture. Romantic views of Scotland were populary literary and poetic themes of the day. There were also sound political reasons for forging links with the Scottish people. The Scotts at the time of Victoria's assescion tended to view the monarchy as an English institution. Thus Albert may have made some poltically astute suggestions. >br>

Chronology

I'm not sure when Edward was first outfitted in a kilt, but images show him in kilts as early as 1849.

Princesses

One side note Victoria did not dress the princesses in kilts. Future British princesses as well as British girls did wear kilts, but this fashion for the first generation of British royals was strictly reserved for the boys.

Scottish Boys

One interesting question about kilts is to what extent Scottish boys other than boys from aristocratic or wealthy families wore kilts. Also were they worn for dress occasions only as is the case today or were they worn as everyday where. These questions were posed on the main Scottish page. We know that the young royals do seened to have worn them for both dressy and every day occasions. A lot of formnal dress occasions show the boys in kilts. Several images, however, show the boys in kilts for informal outings fishing and hiking. A painting executed about 1850 shows Edward and Alfred salmon lestering (spearing) while dressed in kilts (figure ?). A photograph taken in 1907 shows Prince Albert and Henry (sons of George V) in kilts and shirt sleaves watching Scottish fishermen. Thus at least while in Scotland the royal princes doseem to have worn kilts as everyday wear. What they thought about kilts and how common it was for Scottish boys I have yet to dertermine.

Impact on English Boys' Clothing

This no doubt that the royal family's decision to dress Prince Edward and his brothers in kilts had a huge impact on boyhood fashion into the early 20th century. What the royal family did was closely followed by the British public. Magazines and other publications directed at home-bound middle class mothers were becoming increasingly available at mid-century and were rapidly improving the technology of reproducing illustrations. (The publications of photographs did not appear until around the turn of the century.) As a result mothers all over Britain, as well as Europe and America, had vastly improved access to the fashion of royal courts. New magazines were founded and the prices made timely fashion information available to virtually any middle-class family. This helped spead new fashions much more rapidly than ever before. This included the fashions adopted for the royal children. Thus dressing the young princes in kilts led to the great popularity of kilt outfits for boys, at least popular with mothers, during the later half of the 19th Century.

Trip to France (1855)

Queen Victoria in 1855 visited Paris. Napoleon III took the Queen and Prince Consort to visit Napoleon I's tomb at Les Invalides. The Queen was not at all impressed with Paris, considering it a den of iniquity. She and the Prince Consort brough the Prince of Wales with them. Nertie would have been about 14 years old. For the official functions he was outfitted in a Highland kilt outfit. The French had always had an affection for Scotland dating back to the assistance and safehave provided to the Scottish monarchy. Soon after the Queen's visit, young French boys began appearing in kilts.







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Created: August 4, 2003
Last updated: 9:11 PM 8/4/2005