Harry's Wedding Uniform

Prince Harry wore a military uniform when he married Meghan Markle. He wore the Blues and Royals frockcoat uniform, honouring the regiment he served in when he was part of the army. The uniform was made by Savile Row tailor Dege & Skinner, who also made the uniforms for the pageboys. Prince Harry's uniform included a white buckskin belt with sword slings, medal ribbons, and his pilot's wings.

Prince Harry's Blues and Royals uniform

Prince Harry's wedding uniform was a Blues and Royals frockcoat uniform. The single-breasted uniform was made of blue doeskin and featured a white buckskin belt with sword slings. The uniform was handcrafted by Dege & Skinner on Savile Row, taking over 100 hours of work and 65,000 stitches. The badge on his left chest was the Pilots' Wings, a nod to his time serving in the Army Air Corps flying Apache helicopters.

The Blues and Royals uniform is one of many worn by Prince Harry, who, as an officer in the regiment, has access to 20+ orders of dress. The Blues and Royals is a cavalry regiment in the British Army formed in 1969. The Queen is the colonel-in-chief of the regiment, and Princess Anne is the colonel.

Prince Harry's uniform on his wedding day was slightly different from the usual Blues and Royals uniform. Pockets were added so that he could safely keep hold of the rings, as the uniform doesn't typically have pockets. He also wore aiguilettes (gold grading on his right shoulder) and spurs on his boots, as all commissioned officers in the Household Cavalry wear aiguilettes.

Prince Harry's decision to wear a Blues and Royals uniform on his wedding day was a nod to his military career and his affinity with and affection for the armed forces. He had previously served in Afghanistan twice and was named a Captain in the Household Cavalry's Blues and Royals in 2017.

The Duke of Cambridge's uniform

The Blues and Royals is a cavalry regiment in the British Army that was formed in 1969. The Queen is the colonel-in-chief of the regiment, and Princess Anne is the colonel. The uniform is made of blue doeskin and features a white buckskin belt with sword slings.

The Blues and Royals uniform is a significant choice for the Duke of Cambridge, as it is the regiment that he and his brother served in when they were part of the army. It is also the regiment that Prince Harry served in during his time in Afghanistan, where he was named a Captain in the Household Cavalry.

The Queen's permission for Prince Harry to wear his uniform

At his wedding to Meghan Markle, Prince Harry wore the uniform of the Blues and Royals, the regiment he served in when he was part of the army. The Queen gave Prince Harry her blessing to wear the traditional Blues and Royals uniform to his wedding, even though he had a beard.

In 2020, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stepped down from their duties as senior members of the royal family. As a result, Harry lost his honorary military appointments and royal patronages. This meant that he was not allowed to wear his military uniform to ceremonial events, including the Queen's funeral.

However, there was an exception made for Harry to wear his military uniform at the Queen's final vigil. This was at the request of his father, King Charles, according to Buckingham Palace.

Prince Harry's military background

Harry trained as an officer at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. He was commissioned as a cornet into the Blues and Royals and served temporarily with his elder brother, William. He was deployed to Afghanistan on two occasions; the first was in 2007-2008 for ten weeks in Helmand Province. The second was for twenty weeks in 2012-2013 with the Army Air Corps.

In 2006, it was announced that Harry's unit was scheduled to be deployed to Iraq the following year. This prompted a public debate about whether he should serve on the front line. Ultimately, the decision was made that he would be shielded from the front line if his unit was sent to war. However, Harry disagreed with this decision, stating that he wanted to serve with his unit. The head of the British Army at the time, General Sir Richard Dannatt, supported Harry's wish to serve on the front line and decided that he would be deployed to Iraq. However, this decision was later reversed due to concerns for Harry's safety and the potential risk to other soldiers.

In 2008, Harry was deployed to Afghanistan for a second time. This deployment was kept secret, and the media agreed not to report on it. However, after ten weeks, an Australian magazine broke the story, and Harry was pulled out of Afghanistan due to security concerns. Despite the early end to his deployment, Harry's service in Afghanistan was considered a success, and he was even able to coordinate air strikes from the ground.

After returning from Afghanistan, Harry continued his military career. He trained as a pilot of Apache helicopters and completed gunship training in California. In 2012, he returned to Afghanistan as a helicopter co-pilot and gunner. During this deployment, he was based at Camp Bastion in southern Afghanistan and served in the Army Air Corps' 662 Squadron, 3 Regiment. His role included co-piloting and operating the weapons systems of an Apache helicopter.

Harry's military career came to an end in 2015 when he left the Armed Forces. However, he has remained closely connected to the military through his work with the Invictus Games, an international sporting event for wounded, injured, and sick service personnel and veterans. He also held various honorary military appointments until he and his wife, Meghan Markle, stepped back from their roles as senior members of the royal family in 2020.

The tailor Dege & Skinner

Dege & Skinner is a bespoke gentleman's tailor and shirt-maker located at 10 Savile Row, London. The company was founded in 1865 and is one of the oldest, continually operated bespoke tailoring companies in the world. Dege & Skinner has a long history of providing bespoke and military tailoring services, including for the British Royal Family. For instance, the company dressed the Peers of the Realm at Westminster Abbey during the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953.

Dege & Skinner has obtained three royal warrants of appointment: Queen Elizabeth II (1984), the Sultan of Oman (1981), and the King of Bahrain (2003). The company's military uniform expertise is renowned, and it has designed and crafted uniforms for prestigious entities such as the Royal Oman Police's first camel-mounted pipe band.

In 2018, Dege & Skinner had the honour of creating the wedding attire for Prince Harry and his pageboys. Prince Harry wore the uniform of the Blues and Royals regiment, crafted by Dege & Skinner. The uniform included intricate lacework on the sleeves, a white buckskin belt with sword slings, and a traditional hat. The pageboys wore miniature replica uniforms, meticulously tailored to their measurements.

The process of creating Prince Harry's uniform was a meticulous endeavour. The sleeves alone took one lady an entire week to craft, and the final product included 65,000 stitches and over 164 yards of Black Russia lace. Dege & Skinner's team worked closely with Prince Harry to ensure a perfect fit, conducting multiple fittings and adjustments. The uniform was designed to be slightly lighter and less structured than traditional military attire, ensuring comfort for the Prince on his wedding day.

Dege & Skinner's expertise in military uniforms and bespoke tailoring has earned them a distinguished reputation. The company's attention to detail, use of high-quality materials, and ability to adapt to their clients' needs have solidified their standing as one of Savile Row's finest tailors.

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