As many of us have discussed before, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have a thing about appearing “normal” and “middle class.” Kate actually IS middle class, and the fact that she doesn’t hide it has been celebrated in some circles and criticized in other circles. No one really believes Kate’s middle-class roots are a bad thing, but throughout her marriage to William, it does feel like both of them play-act this idea that they’re just a normal middle-class family. William in particular seems to fetishize this idea of “normalcy,” perhaps as way of hiding his own enormous privilege, wealth and lack of direction. What’s my point? I don’t know. People are still talking about how Prince George is dressed like Little Lord Fauntleroy circa 1942 and the Daily Mail’s “etiquette expert” is theorizing that George is dressed that way because William and Kate don’t want him to look too suburban/middle class. I thought they loved all things middle class?!?!

With all eyes on them as they toured Canada, the Royal Family pulled out all the stops to ensure they looked picture perfect. Often colour-coordinated, they were no doubt well aware that the photographs of their first official tour as a family-of-four would be remembered for years to come – and tried to dress fittingly for the special occasion. And fashion fans were quick to notice that Prince George exclusively wore shorts – and it’s certainly not the first time. Indeed, the three-year-old is rarely seen in trousers and, according to an etiquette expert, there’s a very interesting reason behind it.

Etiquette expert and MailOnline columnist, William Hanson, claims that shorts on young boys are, in fact, a silent British class marker and trousers are deemed ‘suburban’, which no self-respecting royal would want to be considered.

He explained: ‘Not only does The Duchess of Cambridge have to worry about what she is wearing in public but she has to dress her own children and find a balance between royal tradition and heritage and more proletariat customs, such as the “suburban” habit of making young boys wear trousers. Although I don’t really think that the sartorial rule of shorts for young boys would be a new one for Catherine. I would suspect that her own mother and mother’s friends knew this – as more well-heeled middle class mothers do – and dressed their own boys accordingly.’

Whilst the children won over the world on their first royal tour, some social media users were quick to comment on their ‘post-war’ look – suggesting that little Prince George and Princess Charlotte were dressed ‘for the 1950s’ or a ’19th century gothic novella’.

[From The Daily Mail]

From my very limited experience with children, I don’t think it’s a matter of “making” children adhere to whatever class-structured style is en vogue. George is getting to the age where he’s going to want to start dressing like his peers, and his peers – many of them suburban, middle-class types – wear trousers and trainers. At some point (likely very soon), George is just going to refuse to wear those stupid socks and shorts everywhere. While I do think George is a really cute little boy, it absolutely feels like Will and Kate are dressing him up in a costume. A costume for Kensington Palace’s home horror movies, perhaps?

Photos courtesy of WENN.