Duke of Edinburgh makes GQ best-dressed list

Prince Philip is 26th place in GQ magazine’s “Best-Dressed Men List 2014”, alongside the likes of One Direction heartthrob Harry Styles (11), David Beckham (13) and Jude Law (20).

Radio 1 Breakfast DJ Nick Grimshaw took the top spot, followed by The Avengers star Tom Hiddleston and Sherlock actor Benedict Cumberbatch.

Actor Idris Elba, who stars as Nelson Mandela in the new film about the late South African president Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom, is fourth.

Former Downton Abbey star Dan Stevens, who played Matthew Crawley, was placed fifth.

The top ten is completed by rapper Tinie Tempah, X Factor host Dermot O’Leary, Arctic Monkeys’ frontman Alex Turner, fashion designerCharlie Casely-Hayford and model David Gandy.

The magazine said that Prince Philip “deserves yet another medal – for his services to classic British tailoring”. Bill Prince, GQ’s deputy editor said: adding: “Top-down management still rules among the royals, evidenced by the degree to which the Duke of Edinburgh’s sons, grandsons (and, who knows, great-grandson) hero-worship his time-honoured style.”

The Prince of Wales was in eighth place last year but does not appear in this year’s list.

In the worst-dressed category, fashion designer Ozwald Boateng tops the list, followed by Dundee-born George Galloway MP, TV scientist Brian Cox and former Co-op Bank boss Paul Flowers.

Dancer-turned-I’m A Celebrity. . . Get Me Out Of Here! contestant Vincent Simone was fifth, MasterChef’s Gregg Wallace eighth and UK Independence Party leader Nigel Farage was named as the tenth worst dressed.

The poll was voted for by staff at GQ and a panel of experts from the worlds of fashion and celebrity, including Giorgio Armani, Tom Ford, Sir Roger Moore and Donatella Versace. Prince Philip’s style has remained constant over the decades with his bespoke clothes made by the finest British tailors.

He has patronised Kinloch Anderson the kilt maker since the early Fifties, along with John Lobb the bootmaker, James Lock & Co hatters, and has also worn clothing by Barbour since 1971.

He is also a regular customer at selected tailors in Savile Row who have provided him with a range of outfits from casual and dress suits to naval uniforms and robes that are used as occasions of state.

But Holly Mitchell, fashion designer and co-owner of Totty Rocks boutique in Edinburgh, said she did not think Prince Philip deserved to be included on the list.

She said: “I am very surprised at him being on the list at all and feel he’s been kind of dragged out to bump up the family’s rating.

“The royal family is becoming fashionable again, especially the young royals such as Kate having her wedding dress designed by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen.

“It is fashionable to try to promote someone like Prince Philip as being stylish and at the forefront of Britannia.

“However I would describe his dress sense as average to standard.

“In fact he looks like he’s wearing the same suit day in day out and doesn’t think about his own personal style.”

And last night Mr Galloway, Respect MP for Bradford West, defended his own sense of style in a robust manner – while his press officer maintained that his employer should be described as a “style icon”.

“The prancing. perfumed, pompadoured, popinjays at GQ wouldn’t know a real man if he kicked them up their fancy pants,” Mr Galloway said.

The full Best-Dressed Men List is in the February 2014 issue of GQ, which is out this week.