I have copied and pasted it from the original ...
Further to your email exchange with my colleague Kate Haynes last week, I can tell you that the answer to your questions is ‘age’.
The King is wearing the Thistle mantle which we made for Prince Albert in 1842. The Princess Royal is wearing a Thistle mantle which was made in the 1970s.
The green velvet on The King’s mantle is the very finest silk velvet and that reflects light very differently to the cotton velvet which is used on The Princess Royal’s mantle. Also, the great age of his mantle means that they much colour has been lost with the passage of time. His mantle will also have been died using metallic dyes which are no longer permitted, so this is the reason for the apparent stark difference between the two mantles.
It is also age that explains the difference in colour of the two Garter ribands. The King became Garter in 1958. The Prince of Wales in 2008. They are both using their original ribands, so The King’s has darkened through age.
I hope that this helps.
Thank you so much BrentB. Well done. I do hope you receive an informative response from them.
This morning I called into Ede & Ravenscroft armed with my questions and pics and they couldn't help me on the spot. I have been given the email if their sales administrator and sent off the pics and questions. I have cheekily asked if I can view the fabric when it's convenient ... stay tuned .
What a great idea!
Brent - would you mind also asking about the different shades of blue for the Garter sashes of the King and Prince of Wales please?
https://www.royal.uk/encyclopedia/succession
I think I will pop into Ede & Ravenscroft on Thu or Fri ( they make the robes ) and ask them what they think. I have found them very helpful in the past ... stay tuned .
I think that in some images from last year it maybe the way the light is striking the robe. In this image it looks a light green.
However, in this image it looks dark green.
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