Prince Louis is making his own fashion rules. When Prince William and Kate Middleton's youngest child attended the royal family's annual Christmas Day church service, the 5-year-old looked more mature in tartan pants.
As royal watchers are sure to notice, Louis typically wears shorts and knee-high socks on formal occasions, the so-called uniform of upper-class British children, usually until his eighth birthday, regardless of the weather. Last year he wore shorts and 2023 was the first time he spent Christmas in shorts.
As etiquette expert William Hanson explained to Harper's Bazaar in 2018, "The wearing of shorts by young boys is one of England's silent markers of class," while "long trousers are reserved for older men." Boys and Men”.
Hansen added, "Even though times are (slowly) changing, a pair of pants for a little boy is considered middle class — pretty suburban."
louis big boy pants
Louis' colors coordinated with the blue and green attire worn by the Prince and Princess of Wales and his siblings Prince George and Princess Charlotte as they greeted well-wishers on their way to church. He also held the hand of his cousin Mia Tindall during the walk.
While it's unclear whether the tartan trousers are vintage, Prince George wore similar trousers in early 2020 when he posed with the late Queen Elizabeth, then-Prince Charles, and Prince William.
Louis' church pants aren't the first thing he's worn for the 2023 holidays, either. The young royal also wore trousers to his mother's third annual Royal Carol: Christmas Together Held at Westminster Abbey on December 8.
royal holiday traditions
Although Kate's Candlelight Community Carols event is a newer annual outing, the family also participates in some older traditions at Sandringham, 100 miles north of London.
After attending morning services at St Mary Magdalene Church on December 25, senior members of the royal family spent the day at Sandringham Palace, the king's country estate, where they reportedly had multiple meals. This included a turkey dinner.
Dating back to Queen Victoria's time, members of the royal family would often drink Christmas Eve tea together in the White Drawing Room at Sandringham. Christmas Eve is also when they traditionally exchange gifts.
"As is customary, at the start of the night we each found our place and stood in front of a pile of presents," Prince Harry recalled in his memoir , Spare . "Then suddenly, everyone started opening up at the same time. There was a free-for-all, with dozens of family members talking at the same time, drawing bows and tearing wrapping paper."
While it's unclear whether the young prince and princess have adopted their own sibling traditions, Prince William and Prince Harry also reportedly played a football game with staff at the Sandringham estate on Christmas Eve, dressed in their best Socks from your favorite team.
However, there's no word on whether they're pairing them with shorts or pants.
