The Bride Wore White, The Groom Wore . . . Red?
Finally, something about the royal wedding that piqued my interest: why Prince William, who serves in the RAF, was clad in a red tunic of the Irish Guard:
One possible explanation:
His decision to wear the Irish Guards Mounted Officer’s uniform, in Guard of Honour Order, was welcomed as a tribute to a battalion that has recently returned from an arduous tour in Afghanistan.
It may also reflect the Royal family’s wish to demonstrate the strengthening of ties between London and Dublin ahead of the Queen’s historic state visit to Ireland next month.
But the Prince’s choice of Army dress was said to have “disappointed” some of his colleagues in the RAF, with whom he works as a search and rescue helicopter pilot.
Technically, the future king is commissioned in all three U.K. Armed Services. He's seen service with the Army, in The Household Cavalry Regiment, as well as with the RAF, with whom (as noted above) he's currently serving as a flight lieutenant. And he holds the honorary rank (given to him by his grandmother) of Colonel of the 1st Batallion of the Irish Guards.
Thus the official line:
St James’s Palace insisted that the Prince had chosen the uniform of the Irish Guards because it was his “highest rank”. A palace spokesman said: “If he had not gone for that he would have had to have chosen between his RAF and Household Cavalry uniforms and because he is a similar rank in both of those, it would have been quite a difficult decision.
Let's suppose, for the sake of discussion, that the choice of the red uniform was meant, in part, a gesture toward the troops in Afghanistan. A good call on the Prince's part -- to toss a little national ad geopolitics into the day's festivities? Or, were all eyes on the bride?
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Jun '10
Re: The Bride Wore White, The Groom Wore . . . Red?
If you walk down a hallway filled with historic British military portraits, as William can easily do, there are a lot of red jackets up on those walls. I think William maybe had his eye on British history and tradition.
Mar '11
Re: The Bride Wore White, The Groom Wore . . . Red?
IIRC, his father commanded a Royal Navy warship as well.
Aug '10
Re: The Bride Wore White, The Groom Wore . . . Red?
Maybe they want Ireland back?
Mar '11
Re: The Bride Wore White, The Groom Wore . . . Red?
Bill,
You should watch on BBC America - they explain all this stuff (I can't remember now the explanation, but there is one). In the old days, they wore red to hide the blood stains, but twas lousy camouflage.
You will notice btw, that he is also wearing his RAF wings (on the blue sash).
Edited on Apr 29, 2011 at 1:57pmJun '10
Re: The Bride Wore White, The Groom Wore . . . Red?
BBC America explained it as his being a Colonel in the Irish Guard. He will be leading them next year in the royal parade honoring his grandmother's Diamond Jubilee.
He chose to wear the RAF wings to honor his particular service in the military.
Jul '10
Re: The Bride Wore White, The Groom Wore . . . Red?
The RAF boyos were awfully disappointed by William's failure to wear his service's uniform. But, stylistically and symbolically, it's much better to wear the Irish Guards uniform. Stylistically, it just looks better; it's not only our flyboys who look like mail carriers. Symbolically, he is the patron of a regiment that is in the field...it's very proper for him to identify with his own. (The Colonel of a British regiment was, once upon a time, its owner; he bought its equipment, and outfitted it for the field; he could make money by selling commissions to would-be officers. Not a bad system, really.)
In fact, it's rare for this royal family to wear the red coat; those who have seen The King's Speech will remember that William's great-grandfather was a sailor, as was his great-great-grandfather, his grandfather Prince Philip (did rather well at the Battle of Cape Matapan), and Charles eventually commanded a minesweeper in the North Sea, bird-dogging Soviet "trawlers". Thus it's been a while since a Royal wore Army dress; don't think they've ever worn RAF dress on such an occasion.
Re: The Bride Wore White, The Groom Wore . . . Red?
The reason Prince William wore the uniform of the Irish Guards, I recall reading somewhere today, is simple: Whereas in the other services he's only a middle-level officer, in the Irish Guards he's colonel-in-chief. If you have to choose between dressing as a colonel or dressing as (say) a captain, you choose dressing as a colonel.
Jul '10
Re: The Bride Wore White, The Groom Wore . . . Red?
Oh, Peter, you ruin the Deep Meaning of It All.
But, if I may disagree with those commentators--I read them, and snarled a bit--Prince Charles wore his Navy uniform at his wedding, even though he was and is a Colonel of the Something or Other...Welsh Guards, most likely. Not going to bother looking it up. That's par for the course for the House of Windsor; naval chaps, d'ye see? So William wearing the Army uniform is a break from precedent which, I hope, is a Message. After all, his younger brother served at a forward operating base in Afghanistan; it shouldn't be too surprising that William wants to identify with his regiment as it goes in harm's way.
Well, at least I hope that's the case.
May '10
Re: The Bride Wore White, The Groom Wore . . . Red?
Whatever, you have to admit it's a very cool looking uniform.
Mar '11
Re: The Bride Wore White, The Groom Wore . . . Red?
Robert, there is that theory:
http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/concoughlin/100085555/prince-williams-choice-of-uniform-is-a-tribute-to-those-serving-in-afghanistan/
However, the BBC America explanation from AUMom is more correct, I think. Peter - close, but no cigar.
RAF wings are such a prized possession that I think tis hard to explain to Americans who are not pilots ( I am an American and a pilot). So I appreciate him showing em. His RAF comrades would have probably preferred he had worn a RAF uniform, as would I.
Edited on Apr 29, 2011 at 9:44pmNov '10
Re: The Bride Wore White, The Groom Wore . . . Red?
Agreed!
And the bride deserves equal credit for selecting a wedding gown very reminiscent of Princess Grace and Queen Victoria.
Edited on Apr 30, 2011 at 8:31pm