One of the gems of the Royal Ceremonial Dress Collection, which is stored at Kensington Palace, is this pair of bright green stockings which belonged to King William III. They are knitted out of a fine, very bright green silk. They have a design of a little flower, surmounted by a crown worked in at the ankle, and a ‘W’ in the cuff at the top.

Royal dress dating from the 17th century is very rare indeed, particularly in the UK. William III is generally known as a serious monarch and soldier and it is fascinating to see that when dressed informally, the King must have looked striking. One of William’s bright red knitted silk vests is also in the collection at Kensington Palace.

As these stockings are extremely rare and fragile, they need to be protected from too much light which is why they are sometimes taken off display and 'rested'.  

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This object is one of many items either on display or in store at Historic Royal Palaces. Click here to explore more >