Figure 1.--Queen Elizabeth here holds her grandsonPrince Albert. The portrait is undated, but was probably taken about 1939. Albert wears a Perer Pan blouse and short pants. ?

We have relatively little information on how the Belgian princes were dressed. We see some instances of them being dressed alike, but age was a factor here. The few photographs we have acquired so far show Albert and his brothet as younger boys wearing blouses with large collars, including Peter Pan collars. They also wore sailor suits, with both long and short pants. Presumably the boys were dressed alike. One photograph shows one of the princes at about 7 years of age on a trip to Sweeden wearing a short pants sailor suit with a rather unsailorly beret. A French reader tells us that these fashions were almost identical to those popular in France. Another photograph shows Baudouin at about 8 or 9 years of age wearing a long pants sailor suit and strap shoes. As an older boy, Albert like his brother Leopold wore short pants suits. At first he wore short white socks while his older brother wore kneesocks.

Play Suits

The few photographs we have acquired so far show Albert and his brothet as younger boys wearing blouses with large collars, including Peter Pan collars. We don't see the fancy lace collars their father wore, but rather pointed Eton-like collars or rounded Peter Pan collars. They were short pants play suits. While a little fancy and buttoned collars, they seem relatively practical, comfortable play suits for the boys. These suits appear to have been colored outfits or white suuts with colored trim. The black and white outfits of the day, however, do not reveal the actual color. We believe these were worn as play suits, but are not entirely sure.

Sailor Suits

Albert and his brother also wore sailor suits, with both long and short pants. Presumably the boys were dressed alike. One photograph shows one of the princes at about 7 years of age on a trip to Sweeden wearing a short pants sailor suit with a rather unsailorly beret. A French reader tells us that these fashions were almost identical to those popular in France. Another photograph shows Baudouin at about 8 or 9 years of age wearing a long pants sailor suit and strap shoes.

Suits

As an older boy, Albert like his brother Leopold wore short pants suits. At first he wore short white socks while his older brother wore kneesocks.

Created: 5:12 AM 7/26/2008
Last updated: 7:51 PM 8/13/2008