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Coronation Fact File

This fact sheet contains details of the various uniforms that Dege & Skinner made, or in some instances refurbished, for the recently televised Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III on Saturday 6th May 2023.

HRH Prince Louis

The youngest child of the Prince and Princess of Wales was, as ever, a popular and entertaining focus for the TV cameras and watching audience.

HRH Prince Louis was wearing a specially designed miniature uniform consisting of a garter blue doeskin tunic with uniquely designed lace work embellishment to the collar, cuffs and fronts.

His leg garment black, complete with garter blue stripe, to complement the same garter blue of the Princess of Wales' elaborate and most elegant cape.

HRH Queen Camilla wished to have her four Page Boys’ uniforms inspired by the two Regiments of the British Army for whom she is the Colonel in Chief.

So the four Page Boys attending The Queen wore uniforms specially designed to reflect those worn by the regular Officers and Soldiers of The Grenadier Guards and The Rifles.

Master of the Horse

The honorary head of the Royal Mews at Buckingham Palace, the Master of the Horse is now mainly a ceremonial office; seldom seen apart from on state occasions and particularly when the Sovereign is mounted, at events such as the State Opening of Parliament and Trooping the Colour.

The uniform, seen here on former Master of the Horse Lord Vestey, consists of a scarlet wool doeskin tunic complete with 2% gold wire embroidery to the collar, cuffs and back-skirts.

Collar and cuff ends are of blue velvet. Royal Household buttons adorn the front, cuffs and back waist. Club ended gold shoulder cords with the Sovereign’s cypher mounted at the end. Gold wire right sided Aiguilette worn from right shoulder to signify the close roll to the sovereign.

Royal Warrant

Dege & Skinner was granted a Royal Warrant to HM The Queen for the making of the uniforms for the Queen’s Bodyguard of the Yeomen of the Guard.

This Royal Warrant has been held since 1982, firstly by the company’s now Chairman Michael Skinner, then passing onto his son William Skinner, who is the current holder.

The Body Guard of the Yeomen of the Guard

The first part of the ceremony of the State Opening of Parliament takes place out of public sight, when the cellars beneath the Palace of Westminster are searched by The Body Guard of the Yeomen of the Guard, resplendent in their Tudor-style uniforms, in a tradition that dates back to 1679.

This is the oldest military corps in existence in Britain.

The uniform consists of a scarlet knee length tunic, with gold lace and black velvet “hoops” to sleeves and skirts, gold CIIIR buttons.

Embroidery on front and back consists of Gold wire embroidered “C” and “R”, crown, Rose thistle, shamrock, scroll and Moto. The waist belt and chest sash consist of scarlet cloth with gold lace and black velvet embellishment, backed leather.

Worn with a pair of scarlet knee breeches with gold lace edging and gold CIIIR buttons and a pair of scarlet stockings. Topped off with a round brimmed hat called a Tudor Bonnet.

The Royal Company of Archers

The Royal Company of Archers acts as the Sovereign’s ‘Body Guard in Scotland’. The Archers now comprise 530 people, all wearing uniforms that have remained unchanged since 1863! Most of those striking uniforms are made here at 10 Savile Row by the in-house team of specialist bespoke cutters and tailors.

As an entirely voluntary unit Members of The Royal Company of Archers must provide their own uniforms, with many of the uniforms being family heirlooms, leading to extreme anxiety about moth damage and expanding (sometimes shrinking) waistlines!

So we also alter a number of existing uniforms to help reduce wastage and to be as cost conscious as possible on behalf of our valued customers.

Further and full details of The Archers uniforms can be read here. 

Bargemaster and Watermen 

Until the middle of the nineteenth century the Sovereign regularly travelled on the river Thames, either on State occasions or between the Royal Palaces of Windsor, Westminster, Hampton Court, Greenwich and the Tower of London.

The men who rowed the Royal Barges up and down the river Thames were known as Royal Watermen. This is now a ceremonial role.

Tudor Design

The uniform is a skirted scarlet tunic with fine scarlet stitching on the seams and cuffs. A plastrum is sewn on the front and back of the jacket; inserted into the plastrum are gilt plated, sterling silver “C” and “R”, a crown and the United Kingdom crest

Worn over scarlet wool doeskin breeches with gold lace edging and gold CIIIR buttons. Paired with scarlet stockings, black buckled shoes and a black cap.

There were also be a number of honorary Colonels to various regiments, including The Rifles and The Royal Yeomanry, who have been kitted out by Dege & Skinner.

In recognition of the work he completed for His Majesty King Charles III’s Coronation on 6th May 2023, Head Cutter Nicholas De’Ath was presented with a Coronation Medal by Her Majesty Queen Camilla at Clarence House. Read more here.

Like all Dege & Skinner’s bespoke clothing and bespoke shirts, all of the uniforms mentioned and all of those on display at the recent Coronation were cut and made by hand in our workrooms at Number 10 Savile Row in London.

The full list of ‘makers’ for the Coronation is as follows:

Cutting Team: Head Cutter Nicholas De’Ath, Cutter Alex Hills and Cutter Ciara Pignatelli.

Workshop Tailors: Sarah Wilkinson, Iona Knight, Roxanne Jones and Jon Pickering.

About Dege & Skinner

Estb. 1865, Dege & Skinner is a bespoke tailoring and shirt-making company based at Number 10 Savile Row in London. The family-owned business celebrated its 150th Anniversary in 2015.

Dege & Skinner has actively promoted and maintained the handcrafts and skills required to enable them to make specialist uniforms and to this day still make many uniforms for young Officers going into the British Army via regular visits to Royal Military Academy Sandhurst (RMAS).

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