Figure 3.--The Duke of York and future George VI in 1900 at 5 years old at Osborne House. He was rather a shy boy and was never brought up to be king. Note the meticuously tied bow.

Quite detailed information is available on Albert's boyhood clothes. This is in part due to the extensive photographic record. Albert and his brothers course wore dresses as younger boys, but after breeching they mostly wore sailor suits and kilts, inpart because his father, GeogeV, felt these were the only two clothes suitable for boys. The first information we have on Albert's clothing is details on his christening gown. Albert was christened at a chapel in his grandfather's home, Sandrinham. Albert was outfitted in a Honitron lace gown that the family had used since the birth of Victoria and Albert's forst child, the Princess Victoria. After his christening, Prince Albert cried all night in the nursery and his brother David soon joined in crying. George VI and his older brother David (Edward VIII) wore white lacy dresses, although not at such advanced ages as there father. One picture shows George the VI in a carriage wearing a long lacy dress at 2 years of age. An older boy (probably his brother Bertie--Edward VIII), also in a lacy dress, is standing beside him. The dresses look to be identical to what a girl might have worn. One aspect of Albert's and his brother's childhood that HBC has been totally unavle to obtain informatiin on was breeching. How did Queen Mary decide it was time to breech the boys? Was there a specified age or was it a more subjective judgement? Did King George play a role here? Was there a ceremony? Perhaps it was done at a birthday party. One question HBC can not yet answer is whthervthe boys wore smocks. We believe that they probably did in the nursery. We have not yet noted any photographs of the boys wearing smocks. Perhaps it was not considered appropriate to photograph the boys in such infprmal garments. We have, however, noted their sister Princess Mary wearing smocks when playing with the boys. After breeching Albert and his brothers almost always wore sailor suits, These were the only clothes their father felt suitable for boys. George V was quite strict with the boys and could give them a thorough dressing down if any of the accesories were the least bit out of place. (For a fuller discussion of this, see the Edward VIII.) The boys became afraid of him. His brother Albert eventually became very resentful of how they were treated as childern. Albert seems to have adjusted better to it or at least did not complain as publically as his brother. The only important alternative to the boys' sailor suits were Scottish kilts. These were worn for special ocasions or on trips to Scotland where they wore their kilts. There they wore kilts both for dress and for casual wear. Each boy had several kilt outfits. It was not just the Queen who decided what they wore. The King would give very specific instructions as to what kilt shoul be worn on which occasion. He also constantly instrcted them to take better care of their kilts.

Christening Gown

The first information we have on Albert's clothing is details on his christening gown. Albert was christened at a chapel in his grandfather's home, Sandrinham. Albert was outfitted in a Honitron lace gown that the family had used since the birth of Victoria and Albert's forst child, the Princess Victoria. After his christening, Prince Albert cried all night in the nursery and his brother David soon joined in crying. [Bradford, 1989, p. 2]

Dresses

George VI and his older brother David (Edward VIII) wore white lacy dresses, although not at such advanced ages as there father. One picture shows George the VI in a carriage wearing a long lacy dress at 2 years of age. An older boy (probably his brother Bertie--Edward VIII), also in a lacy dress, is standing beside him. The dresses look to be identical to what a girl might have worn. They are not boy dresses made especially for boys with plainer styling or other featurs such as front buttons.

Figure 2.--The Duke of York and future George VI in about 1898-99 at 3-4 years wearing a sailor suit with kilted skirt. His older brother Edward, called David by the family, had already graduated to short pants.

Breeching

One aspect of Albert's and his brother's childhood that HBC has been totally unavle to obtain informatiin on was breeching. How did Queen Mary decide it was time to breech the boys? Was there a specified age or was it a more subjective judgement? Did King George play a role here? Was there a ceremony? Perhaps it was done at a birthday party. Was it presented as a surprise? Or was the there a build up in advance? Was there only day that he wore dresses and after breeching never again? Or was it a more gradual process? Did the boys discuss this among themselves? Were there familiy letters? Dis the press comment on this monentous step in their young lives. Hopefully some information on the whole breeching process will emerge. I have no specific details on the Albert's breeching. Presumably it occurred at about age 5. Albert was the second boy. I'm not sure if Queen Marry simply followed the breeching process for Bertie or in fact changed the process any for Albert and the subsequent children. At about 5 years old he does not appear to have been wearing actual dreeses, but rather sailor suits with kilt skirts. He often appeared in photographs with his older brother. For several years his brother would be in shorts or kneepants sailor suits and Albert would be wearing skirt-kilts. It is unclear during this period in swhich he wore skirted sailor suits whether he also wore dresses for formal occasions or whether it was at this time that he stopped wearing drssses. Notaby, Albert and his brother did not wear kilt suits. They wore skirted sailor suits or proper Highland kilts, but never kilt suits.

Smocks

One question HBC can not yet answer is whthervthe boys wore smocks. We believe that they probably did in the nursery. We have not yet noted any photographs of the boys wearing smocks. Perhaps it was not considered appropriate to photograph the boys in such infprmal garments. We have, however, noted their sister Princess Mary wearing smocks when playing with the boys.

Figure 4.--Princes Edward and Albert are shown here with Princess Mary and Prince Henry as a baby. Their father George V felt that sailor suits and kilts were the only suitable clothes for a boy. Notice the boys are wearing long pants.

Sailor Suits

After breeching Albert and his brothers almost always wore sailor suits, These were the only clothes their father felt suitable for boys. George V was quite strict with the boys and could give them a thorough dressing down if any of the accesories were the least bit out of place. (For a fuller discussion of this, see the Edward VIII.) The boys became afraid of him. His brother Albert eventually became very resentful of how they were treated as childern. Albert seems to have adjusted better to it or at least did not complain as publically as his brother. Photographs of Albert at about 4, begin to appear with him in very smart white sailor suits. At first he wore a kilt instead of the shorts his older brother wore. By about age 5 or 6 he was also wearing shorts with his sailor suit with ankle socks and often Mary Jane strap shoes. There are a lot of pictures of George VI and his brother in matching sailor suits and broad-brimmed hats, often with their sister Mary wearing a sailor suit (with skirt) or a smock. As very young boys they wore short pants or kneepants with their sailor suits. The boys also wore long pants sailor suits. Even as younger boys, about 7 or 8 they appear in long pants. In the images I have seen the long pants are usually the blue pants. I'm not sure what the conventiions were. There appear to have been white suits, mixed suits (white middy blouse with blue panrs), and blue suits. It's unclear to me as to which suits were worn for what occasiions. Albert like Edward was still wearing sailor suits at 10 and 11, but by then always with long pants. They continued wearing sailor suits until they entered the Royal Navy Cadet School at Osborne.

Scottish Kilts

The only important alternative to the boys' sailor suits were Scottish kilts. These were worn for special ocasions or on trips to Scotland where they wore their kilts. There they wore kilts both for dress and for casual wear. Each boy had several kilt outfits. It was not just the Queen who decided what they wore. The King would give very specific instructions as to what kilt shoul be worn on which occasion. He also constantly instrcted them to take better care of their kilts. The kilts they wore were little different than those worn by their father and uncles as boys.

Other

As younger children, Bertie anf his brithers almost always appeared in kilts and sailor suits. Only as teenagers did they begin wearing suits.

Created: 7:59 PM 9/18/2009
Last updated: 7:59 PM 9/18/2009