Soles of boots

The Duke of Windsor wore these sturdy, leather boots in the 1920s while on safari, with a safari suit he had designed himself.

While most boots at the time were leather soled, these boots feature a special rubber RUF Du-Flex Grip sole. This was a brand popular in America, and ideal for coping with the uneven terrain the Duke would have encountered. The boots are still in very good condition thanks to the care that was taken to look after them. Personally monogrammed wooden boot stays have preserved the shape of the boots.

Although attitudes to hunting have changed, at the time safari trips and hunting were accepted as a fashionable pastime, particularly amongst wealthy and aristocratic people.