Tunic, part of Army Full Dress suit belonging to Edward VIII

Although the early provenance of this tunic is unclear, it is believed to have been worn by the Duke of Windsor when he was Prince of Wales. It is a Welsh Guards uniform, and he served as colonel of the Welsh Guards from 1919-1936.

It is an example of the standard pattern for an officer in this Army regiment. The regulations covering such uniforms were set out in 'Dress Regulations for the Army' that were issued periodically from the 1820s by the War Office. The earlier editions were intended primarily as guidance for tailors responsible for producing uniforms for officer clients.

The Welsh Guards were formed in 1915. The unique traits of the Welsh Guards uniform are that there are five buttons on the sleeves of the tunic, and the buttons on the front are arranged in two groups of five. Welsh Guards tunics also have a leek motif on the collar and on the shoulder, as the leek is the national emblem of Wales. The full uniform would also have a white and green plume 'hackle' on the left hand side of the wearer's Bearskin.

Edward had eagerly served with the Grenadier Guards during the First World War, although the government's concerns should he be killed or captured limited his front line duty. Nevertheless, his wartime service was popular with the public at that time. However, unlike his father King George V, Edward was never comfortable with the formal, traditional roles and requirements of his royal status. This was reflected both in his general lifestyle and in clothes matters when even on some formal occasions he adopted an unconventional approach. This stylish, keen fashion sense appealed to those seeking a more modern approach from the royal household after the First World War.

Although Edward was, and still is, known for his keen fashion sense, this red tunic represents a uniform outfit that he wore as part of his royal and military position, and does not convey his unique style. It represents the traditions he lived as a member of the British royal family before his abdication.