Harry's Jacket Flaps Explained

Prince Harry's wedding jacket was a military uniform, specifically the frockcoat uniform of the Blues and Royals, a cavalry regiment formed in 1969. The uniform was made by Savile Row tailor Dege & Skinner and featured a blue doeskin frockcoat, white gloves, a white buckskin belt with sword slings, and black trousers with a red stripe down the side. The uniform also included a traditional hat and was adorned with gold embroidered crowns and medal ribbons. The sleeves of the jacket were particularly intricate, taking one worker a week to craft.

Prince Harry's wedding jacket was a military uniform

The Blues and Royals was Prince Harry's first regiment when he served in the army, and he has worn the uniform on many occasions, including when he piloted Apache helicopters and served in Afghanistan. Queen Elizabeth II gave Prince Harry permission to wear his military uniform for the ceremony, and he arrived at Windsor Castle accompanied by his brother and best man, William.

The decision to wear a military uniform was kept under wraps until the wedding day, and it was a surprise to some, as Prince Harry is no longer a serving officer in the Armed Forces. However, as a member of the Royal Family, he had the option to wear a uniform on his wedding day. The uniform was crafted in just six weeks, with the sleeves alone taking one lady a week to make. The uniform was made with less padding to make it more comfortable and cooler to wear.

The Duke of Sussex looked rather dashing and incredibly smart in his military uniform, with his now-trademark beard, which he kept for his big day.

The uniform was a Blues and Royals frock coat

The Blues and Royals uniform was the regiment Harry served in when he was part of the army. The Duke of Sussex served over 10 years in the Armed Forces, and the uniform included badges and braiding particular to his regiment, including the Pilots' Wings badge on his left chest, denoting his time in the Army Air Corps flying Apache helicopters. The gold embroidered crowns on the uniform were ranked by Major status, indicating that Harry had been promoted to the rank of Major by the Queen.

Harry's decision to wear the Blues and Royals uniform was significant because it was his first regiment, and so it becomes his mother regiment. The uniform also added a suitable dose of ceremony to the royal wedding, and was a happy reminder of his time serving his country.

It was made by Savile Row tailor Dege & Skinner

The jacket worn by Prince Harry on his wedding day was made by Savile Row tailor Dege & Skinner. The jacket was part of a military uniform, specifically the uniform of the Blues and Royals, the regiment Harry served in when he was part of the army. Dege & Skinner also made the uniforms for the pageboys, which were similar to those worn by Harry and his brother, William. The company is a historic Savile Row shop that has been in business for over 150 years.

The process of making Harry's uniform began six weeks before the wedding, which is a relatively short period of time for this type of work. The uniform was made from blue doeskin with a stand-up collar and featured figured braiding of regimental pattern. It was ranked to major with large gold embroidered crowns. The sleeves of the uniform were particularly intricate and time-consuming to make, taking one staff member a week to complete. In total, the uniform required 65,000 stitches and over 150 meters of Black Russia, a type of double-ribbed lace.

In addition to the uniform jacket, Dege & Skinner also created a pair of trousers, officially called "overalls", which were made from blue and black wool barathea. The trousers were fastened with a leather strap and buckle underneath the boot, a style that would have been traditionally worn while on horseback. The uniform also included a hat, a Blues and Royals Forage Cap (No 1 Dress cap), and a white buckskin waist belt with regimental buckle and slings, but no sword.

William Skinner, the managing director of Dege & Skinner, expressed his honour and pride in being a part of the royal wedding. He described the process of creating the uniform, including the fittings and adjustments, and the challenge of keeping the project confidential until the wedding day. The company has a history of working with the royal family, having previously made uniforms for Harry and William when they joined the Blues and Royals over a decade ago.

The uniform took over 100 hours to make

Prince Harry's wedding jacket, also known as a frock coat, was no mean feat. The uniform took over 100 hours to make, with 65,000 stitches and more than a football field's length in lace. The sleeves alone took one lady a week to make. The jacket was handcrafted by Dege & Skinner on Savile Row, a traditional military tailor that first created the uniform when Prince Harry began active service. The uniform is made of doeskin, a fine satin-weave woollen cloth, and the lining is silk. The jacket is closed with hidden hooks instead of buttons.

The intricate interwoven braid on the sleeves, barely visible on television, took a skilled craftsman over a week to create. The uniform also features a badge on the left chest, known as the Pilot's Wings, which nods to Prince Harry's time serving in the Army Air Corps flying Apache helicopters. The unique braiding running down the front is made of black mohair and is particular to the Household Cavalry and the Life Guards.

The uniform is a testament to the skill and craftsmanship of Dege & Skinner, who also made the uniforms for the pageboys, as well as Prince Harry's previous uniforms. The company has been making military outfits for over a century and regards it as a great honour to dress Prince Harry for such a historic moment.

The outfit included white gloves and a white buckskin belt

Prince Harry's wedding outfit included white gloves and a white buckskin belt with sword slings. The uniform was crafted by Savile Row tailor Dege & Skinner, who also made the uniforms for Harry and his brother William when they joined the Blues and Royals over a decade ago. The uniform is a nod to Prince Harry's military career and his affinity with the armed forces. The white buckskin belt is a distinctive part of the Blues and Royals uniform, a regiment of the cavalry formed in 1969. The Queen, as colonel-in-chief of this regiment, granted Prince Harry permission to wear this uniform for his wedding.

The white gloves and belt stood out against the dark blue captain's uniform, made of blue doeskin and featuring regimental braiding. The uniform also included gold embroidered crowns, ranked by Major status, and four medal ribbons representing K.C.V.O., Afghanistan with rosette, The Queen's Golden Jubilee, and The Queen's Diamond Jubilee. The badges and braiding on the uniform are specific to Prince Harry's regiment and denote his promotion to the rank of Major by the Queen.

The white buckskin belt with sword slings is a notable feature of the Blues and Royals uniform. The belt is worn at the waist, providing a functional and decorative element to the uniform. The sword slings attached to the belt allow for the carrying of a sword, although Prince Harry did not carry a sword to the church. The white colour of the belt and gloves adds a striking contrast to the dark blue uniform jacket and trousers.

The outfit, including the white gloves and belt, was handcrafted by Dege & Skinner, who are renowned for their expertise in military tailoring. The uniform took over 100 hours of work and included intricate lacework on the sleeves, requiring 65,000 stitches. The white gloves and belt were likely made from high-quality materials, such as buckskin or doeskin, to match the uniform's fabric.

In conclusion, the inclusion of white gloves and a white buckskin belt in Prince Harry's wedding outfit added to the regal and military symbolism of his Blues and Royals uniform. The outfit, handcrafted by Dege & Skinner, incorporated intricate details and stood as a testament to Prince Harry's service and affiliation with the armed forces.

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