Figure 1.--Here Franz Ferdinand poses with his two sons dressed in identical sailor suits. Their father wears an army uniform. Prince Ernst, the younger boy, still has longish curly hair. The portrait is undated, but we would guess was taken about 1909.

We do not have a lot of information on the children's clothes, but we have found some photographs that provides some information. As younger children the boys wore dresses. The ones we see are frilly white dresses. Their mother seems to have liked to add necklasses. The boys were often dressed alike. Sofia seems to have also liked sailor suits even though Austria had only a small navy. Most of the ohotographs of the boys after breeching show them wearing traditionally styled sailor suits, usually long pants sailor suits. Their sister on occassions also wore sailor suits, of course with a skirt. Some we sometimnes see all three of the children dressed alike. There seems to have been little variety in their cklothing. The Arch Duke, however, did take an interest in naval affairs.

Created: 10:17 PM 5/18/2011
Last updated: 10:17 PM 5/18/2011