Why Prince George wearing pants at the royal wedding broke this fashion rule

Move over, Lady Gaga. There’s a new fashion icon who is pushing the envelope when it comes to style . . . and he is just 4 years old.

We are talking about Prince George, of course! The pint-size prince has been in the public eye since the day he was born, and as such, his fashion has always been closely scrutinized. No wonder his rule-breaking outfit at the royal wedding of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry is garnering so much attention.

So what fashion crime did the little one commit? He wore pants! Yes, this scandalous moment is making headlines across the U.K. and beyond.

Getty, WPA Pool

But why?

According to British aristocratic tradition, boys never wear long pants until they are 7 or 8 years old. Instead, young boys only wear shorts (also known as short pants or short trousers).

Getty, Chris Jackson

As etiquette expert William Hanson explained to Vanity Fair, “Trousers are for older boys and men, whereas shorts on younger boys are one of the silent class markers that we have in England. Although times are (slowly) changing, a pair of trousers on a young boy is considered quite middle class — quite suburban.”

Getty, WPA Pool

Hence, to dress the young prince in pants instead of trousers when he is only 4 years old (5 years old in July) is quite avant-garde.

Although the outfit may have appeared serious and dapper (he wore a mini version of the frockcoat worn by his dad and uncle, complete with a matching red braid down the leg), it definitely caused a few gasps among those in the sartorial know.

This begs the question: Now that Prince George has gotten a taste for long trousers, will he be willing to go back to short pants?

Dressing a 4-year-old is never an easy task, but when it comes to dressing them according to royal aristocratic standards . . . eek! Good luck with that, Kate and William. You might have a new fashion diva on your hands.

RELATED: 9 Photos Of Prince William And Kate Middleton’s Parenting Moments At The Royal Wedding

There Was One Empty Seat During The Ceremony — But It Wasn’t For Princess Diana

Many people wondered if and how Prince Harry’s late mother, Princess Diana, would be honored and recognized on her son’s special day. When television cameras showed an empty seat next to Prince Harry’s brother (and best man) Prince William, many people were convinced it was a tribute to their mother.

Social media posts flooded the internet with people whose hearts were full of love and eyes filled with tears at the thought. One Twitter user said they couldn’t deny the tears at the apparent realization:

It’s a sweet thought, but the empty seat has everything to do with tradition and nothing to do with a tribute to a beloved mother.

Take another, closer look at the photos above. Do you see who is sitting in the seat behind the empty spot? It is none other than Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. And, if the queen sits in the second row, the seat in front of her is left empty so she has an unobstructed view.

But why would the reigning queen of England sit in the second row? There were two reasons, actually.

First, since Prince William and Prince Charles both were in the wedding party, they would be moving during the ceremony and would have had to squeeze past the Queen in order to sit down. It wouldn’t be proper to cut in front of the queen, right?

Also, it turns out that Queen Elizabeth has a favorite seat in the chapel!

https://twitter.com/RegalFille/status/997886620849311745

Queen Elizabeth is going to sit where she wants — so other seats are arranged accordingly. Just one of the perks of being the queen!

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But, don’t worry, the late Diana was still an important part of the royal wedding festivities. Prince Harry reportedly picked forget-me-not flowers from the castle gardens to put into his bride’s bouquet — those were one of Diana’s favorite flowers.

Prince Harry Marries Ms. Meghan Markle - Windsor Castle
Getty Images | WPA Pool

Meghan also wore Princess Diana’s gorgeous aquamarine ring with her second wedding dress. She proudly wore it (and showed it off a little) as the happy couple drove off to their evening reception.

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Finally, Lady Sarah Fellowes, one of Princess Diana’s two sisters, read from Song of Solomon in the Bible. Watch it below if you missed it:

If you didn’t get up at the crack of dawn to watching the festivities, here are the best bits — from celebrity arrivals, to vows, to their post-ceremony carriage ride:

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About the Author
Bridget Sharkey
Bridget Sharkey is a freelance writer covering pop culture, beauty, food, health and nature.

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