Described by Noel Coward as having “All the charm in the world with nothing to back it up” the Duke of Windsor was a Peter Pan Prince. Self involved and never wanting the party to stop, he was a flirtatious and hopeless romantic, falling in love with the twice-divorced, bewitching American, Wallis Simpson. Consequently, forced to choose love over his duty as King he abdicated in 1936 having only been King for less than a year. He and Wallis lived the jet set lifestyle in exile and he continued to display his flair for fine tailoring and a distinctive style. His style may not seem rebellious today, but in the 1920’s and 30’s his quirky wardrobe of mad mixed checks and plaids and extremely baggy plus fours (and this only for golf!) sent shock waves through the establishment, sparked new trends and gave British fashion a sartorial rebranding.

By Sam Outing