Saturday, November 9, 2024

King Charles and his curious collection of printed ties: Zebras, T-Rexes, Whales, more

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When it comes to fashion, King Charles is a creature of habit. Known for his passionate views on environmentalism, it only makes sense that the eco monarch is a prolific outfit repeater. 

At 75, the monarch still wears the same camel wool double-breasted coat he’s had since his twenties. The royal has also kept the same pair of shoes in rotation for over 50 years, having worn his mahogany leather brogues since 1971.

While his day-to-day wardrobe may not provide the latest source of style inspiration, King Charles knows how to show his personality through his curious collection of motif-printed ties.

The zebra tie, 2024

King Charles made a joyous appearance at the Epsom Downs Races in June, accompanied by his wife Queen Camilla

The monarch was in high spirits, epitomised by his eclectic pale blue tie printed with a herd of zebras.

The dinosaur tie, 2023

In what is arguably one of the nation’s favourite tie moments from the monarch to date, shortly after the New Year celebrations King Charles stepped out at Sandringham in a  sweet pink tie decorated with a herd of candy blue dinosaurs. 

Given his grandchildren’s love for all things prehistoric, it was suggested that Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis could be the culprits behind the King’s playful T-Rex accessory; the Wales children may have gifted their grandfather the tie for Christmas. 

The cat and owl tie, 2023

In February 2023, the King wore a £180 ‘Cat and Owl’ printed silk tie from Hermès. 

The pink accessory was emblazoned with several grey-blue owls and a handful of monochrome cats peppered throughout the print.

The owl tie, 2023

King Charles made an appearance at the 2023 Commonwealth Day Service wearing a bright blue tie decorated with white owls. 

A near-optical illusion, the owl-printed accessory looks like an ordinary scalloped print at first glance.

The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee tie, 2022

In what marked his last public appearance on the balcony of Buckingham Palace with Queen Elizabeth II before she died, Charles opted for a cloud-blue tie with an usual abstract print. 

The cat and owl tie, 2006

Royal style fans were delighted when Charles wore his candy pink Hermes tie with the same print in 2023, but he actually already owned the same tie in a different colour, worn here to a day of engagements in Llanelli, Wales in 2006.

The sailing boat tie, 1994

King Charles had fun with his accessories in 1994 when he opted for a mustard-yellow tie peppered with detailing sailing boats to a reception at St James’s Palace to launch the Perspectives On Architecture magazine.

The whale tie, 1994

The nineties were clearly an era of sartorial experimentation for the royal. 

King Charles added a playful element to his smart navy suit in 1994 with the addition of an ocean-blue tie adorned with cartoon whales.

The lion tie, 1992

Back in the nineties, the father-of-two stepped out at the National Garden Centre In Ebbw Vale, Wales wearing a rather regal berry-hued tie adorned with majestic lions.

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