Figure 1.--The boys were dressed differently while Charles still wore dresses. This photograph looks to have been taken in 1906 whehn the boys were about 3 and 5 years old. Note in this portrait that their hair is also done differently.
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Figure 1.--The boys were dressed differently while Charles still wore dresses. This photograph looks to have been taken in 1906 whehn the boys were about 3 and 5 years old. Note in this portrait that their hair is also done differently. |
Leopold and Charles were often dressesd in identical or coordinated outfits. This was especially common with the sailor suits that they wore. They were not alwaus dressed identically. This was especilly true when Charles was younger because Leopold being 2 years older was breached before Charles. Once Charles was also breached the boys appear both in identical outfits and with identical hair styles. We are not sure how common this was and who decided from day to day whether to dress the boys identically. We are also not sure if the type or formality of the event was a factor here. Also as the images we have are more formal portraits, we do not know just what the boys wore for every day and if these outfits were also identical. We suspect that they may have been. We do not know if this practice was became less common as the boys got older. The do know that practice of dressing the boys identically continued up to the onsert of World War I because we have noted the boys wearing sailor suits in 1914 when they were about 11 and 13. The practice may have ended after the War began. Their little sister Jose Maria always seemes to be dressed differently, without any attempt to coordinate the outfits.
Leopold and Charles were often dressesd in identical or coordinated outfits. This was especially common with the sailor suits that they wore. There was a time when both Charles and Leopold wore drsses, but we do not note them in ideantical dresses. Once Charles was also breached the boys appear both in identical outfits
They were not alwaus dressed identically. This was especilly true when Charles was younger because Leopold being 2 years older was breached before Charles. We are not sure how common this was.
We do not know whose idea the identical outfits were, but surelu it mist have been Queen Elizabeth's fashion and stylistic sence at work. Nor do we know who decided from day to day whether to dress the boys identically.
Figure 2.--Princes Leopold and Charles here wear identical outfits, briad-brimmed sailor hats and white sailor suits. Note that even their hair is styled identically. This looks to be about 1997 when the boys would have been about 4 and 6 years old. The hats here are worn up, probably for the photograph. Normally they would have been worn more level. Note Charles holding on to the dog--it appears in several portarits with him. Also note the bows on the boys' shoes. |
The boys also wore identical hair styles when dressed alike. This was especially true when they were younger.
We are also not sure if the type or formality of the event was a factor here. Also as the images we have are more formal portraits, we do not know just what the boys wore for every day and if these outfits were also identical. We suspect that they may have been. We do not know if this practice was became less common as the boys got older.
The practice of dressing the boys identivally began as soon as Charles was breached, about 1907. After that they were very often pictured in identical ourfits. We are not sure if the choice of identical outfits varied with age and declined as the boys got older. We do know that practice of dressing the boys identically continued up the onset of World War I because we have noted the boys wearing sailor suits in 1914 when they were about 11 and 13. The practice may have ended after the War began.
Their little sister Jose Maria always seemes to be dressed differently, without any attempt to coordinate the outfits. When Jose Maria was first born, Charles was still wearing dresses, but we do not note them in matching dresses.
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