The same company that gifted the Duke’s father with boots when he opened the Stampede back in ’77 did the same for the Royal couple!
If you thought it was odd that Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge had left her go-to pair of LK Bennett wedges at home on July 7, it’s because she was showing off a very special present — an exotic pair of boots by Alberta Boot Company! The Duke and Duchess aren’t the first Royals to receive this special present — in fact, they were also gifted to William’s father & uncle, Prince Charles and Prince Andrew, back in 1977. The exotic two-toned boots, with shafts made of kangaroo hide and bottoms made of South African ostrich hide, were updated with a modern and personal twist, just for the new Royals! Each pair costs approximately $1000.
“The ostrich makes them really soft,” Ben Gerwing, third-generation boot maker, said from Calgary. “Both my grandfather and I really like ostrich. It’s one of our favourites.”
For Kate, her boots feature the Edmonton stitch with a ‘blooming butterfly’ design, while William’s will are more masculine with a strong and sharp look to it, the Calgary stitch.
Apparently it was the 91-year-old founder of the company that came up with the idea of crafting the boots for the young Royal company after he heard William and Kate would be visiting the city during the 10-day Calgary Stampede — and they seem to be a hit!
