You finish tying it, look in the mirror, and the wide end of the tie hangs below even your belt, while the narrow end pokes out behind it like a tail. You undo it and try again, and it is the same. The tie is not faulty; it is simply longer than the knot you are using. For long ties, or narrow ones, there is a knot made to use up some length while staying elegant: the Prince Albert knot. Below is how to tie a Prince Albert knot step by step, and when to choose it over the familiar knots.
Quick answer
The Prince Albert is a wrapped knot with two wraps around the narrow end of the tie, giving a long, slim knot that uses up a lot of length. It suits long or narrow ties, tall men and narrow collars. How to do it: cross over, wrap the wide end twice, pass it up through the neck loop, then down through the front loop.
What is the Prince Albert knot, and when should you use it?
The Prince Albert belongs to the family of wrapped knots: you wrap the wide end around the narrow end more than once, so the knot comes out longer and slimmer than an ordinary four-in-hand. People also call it the double knot or the two-wrap knot. Its greatest advantage is that it uses up some of the tie's length, because two wraps eat up more centimetres than one.
This knot comes into its own when:
- The tie is longer than usual, or you are tall, so that the tie hangs lower than your belt.
- The tie is a skinny one, because the two wraps make the knot thicker and better balanced against the width of the tie.
- The collar is narrow, a button-down or a small collar, where a big knot like the Windsor would overpower it.
- You are tall and slim, because a long, slim knot adds to the vertical line.
This knot does not suit thick wool ties or thickly woven ties, because two wraps will make a bulky knot that is hard to tighten. A thin silk tie or a thin cotton tie is the ideal material.
Preparing before you tie
- Pop up the shirt collar and fasten all the buttons.
- Place the tie around the back of your neck, the wide end on the right and the narrow end on the left.
- Let the wide end hang a little higher than usual if the tie is long. Each tie has its own sweet spot; two or three tries will tell you.
- The narrow end sits higher than the wide end, ready to lie neatly behind the knot.
How to tie a Prince Albert knot: 7 steps
- Cross over. Bring the wide end across in front of the narrow end.
- First wrap. Take the wide end round behind the narrow end, then pull it across to the front.
- Second wrap. Repeat: round behind once more, then pull it across the front. You now see two horizontal bands stacked on top of each other.
- Pass up. Bring the wide end up and thread it from underneath through the loop around your neck, between the collar and the tie.
- Pass down. Pass the wide end down through the wrapped loop you have just made at the front of the knot.
- Tighten gently. One hand holds the narrow end, the other pulls the wide end down to tighten the knot.
- Adjust. Slide the knot up to the collar, balance both sides, and tuck the narrow end neatly behind the wide end.
Which tie makes the Prince Albert look good?
A knot is half the hand that ties it and half the tie:
- Thin and soft material: thin silk, thin cotton or lightly woven wool. Thick silk, or one with too much interlining, makes the two wraps bulge.
- Medium or narrow width: about 5 to 7 cm for a neat knot. A very wide tie paired with a long knot makes the collar look cramped.
- Spare length: a short tie cannot use this knot; only when the tie has length to spare do the two wraps come into their own.
- Colour and pattern: plain colours or small patterns show the wraps more clearly; large patterns hide the elegance of the knot.
Getting it right: length and dimple
- The wide end touches the middle of the belt buckle. That is the benchmark. Longer will dangle; shorter will show the shirt.
- The narrow end is shorter than the wide end, lying neatly behind, not poking out. If it pokes out, use the keeper loop or tuck it into the lining on the inside.
- The dimple. Before tightening fully, press gently below the knot with your index finger so that the two edges of the tie close together and form a straight dent. That is the detail that makes a tie knot look “deliberate”.
- Tightness. Tighten just enough to hug the neck, so that one finger fits between the collar and your neck. Too tight creases the silk, and the knot loses its shape quickly.
Comparison with the common knots
| Knot | Shape | Number of wraps | Suits collars | Suits ties |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Four-in-hand | Small, slim, slightly offset | One | Narrow to medium | Any |
| Prince Albert | Long, slim, thicker | Two | Narrow, button-down | Long, narrow |
| Half-Windsor | Medium, balanced, triangular | One, with a padding loop | Medium | Medium silk, not too thick |
| Windsor | Large, wide, symmetrical | Several, uses a lot of length | Wide, spread | Thin silk, medium width |
If you want a simple knot for every day, the article the easiest way to tie a tie explains the four-in-hand, while for a larger knot to go with a wide collar, how to tie a Windsor knot will suit.
Common mistakes and tips from Mon Amie's master tailors
- Choosing a thick tie to wrap twice. A thin silk or thin cotton tie gives a neat knot; a thick tie makes the knot bulky and crooked.
- Wrapping twice but unevenly. The two wraps must lie parallel; if they cross over each other the knot will look bad. Gently pull each wrap flat as you wrap.
- Tightening too hard the first time. Tighten gently, adjust the position, and only then tighten fully; the knot will sit straighter.
- Forgetting to check the length before tightening. If the wide end is already past the belt, undo it and tie again with the wide end higher.
- A tip from the master tailor: a standard tie is about 145–150 cm long. If you are taller than 1.85 m, choose a longer tie; if a tie is already too long, the Prince Albert knot is how you rescue it.
For formal occasions, Mon Amie's dressing and etiquette consultancy also guides you on matching ties to the dress code.
Frequently asked questions
What is a double tie knot, and is it the Prince Albert?
Many people call a knot with two wraps a double knot. In essence it belongs to the same family as the Prince Albert: wrapping the wide end twice around the narrow end so that the knot is longer and thicker.
How is a two-wrap tie knot different from the four-in-hand?
The four-in-hand wraps once, so the knot is small and neat. A two-wrap tie knot adds one more wrap, so the knot is longer and thicker and uses up more of the tie's length.
How do I tie a long tie so that the wide end does not go past the belt?
Use a multi-wrap knot such as the Prince Albert, or let the wide end hang higher when you start. A tie that is longer than usual should also be paired with a long knot to make use of all the length.
Which shirt collar suits a Prince Albert knot?
Narrow collars and button-downs, because a long, slim knot balances a small collar. A wide spread collar calls for a larger knot such as the Windsor.
Closing thoughts
Knowing how to tie a Prince Albert knot gives you one more option for long or narrow ties, and a neatly tied tie can change a whole suit. If you want a tie, lapel pin or pocket square to go with the suit you are about to have made, see the accessories in the products section or visit a Mon Amie showroom to try them in person.