Actor Kit Harington, best known for playing Jon Snow, has shed light on the subtle and often unspoken sartorial codes that define Britain's upper classes. Speaking to GQ magazine, the star of the hit banking drama Industry explained that true aristocratic style is less about wealth and more about adhering to a set of 'hidden rules'.
The Sartorial Signals of 'Old Money'
Harington, who plays the aristocratic CEO Henry Muck in the show's highly-anticipated fourth season, detailed how clothing acts as a silent marker of belonging. He comes from a titled family himself—his father is Sir David Harington, a baronet—giving him insight into this rarefied world.
He revealed that seemingly minor details, like socks, can be a significant indicator. 'If you are from Eton, you can wear odd socks, but if you're from Winchester, you have to wear the same type of socks,' he explained, suggesting that only those with the innate confidence from top public schools can break such rules successfully.
Another key signifier is the state of one's outdoor wear. 'No one wears new Barbour jackets, it has to be battered,' Harington said. The reasoning is that buying something new is seen as showing off and 'nouveau,' betraying that you haven't been engaged in country pursuits like shooting your whole life.
Playing a Posh 'P**ck' with Sympathy
Harington's character, Henry, is a recent addition who embodies this world of poshness and self-deprecation. The actor didn't mince words, telling Vulture that 'on the surface, he’s such a p**ck.' However, Harington's main objective is to find a way to make him sympathetic to the audience.
'In the UK, we've all met someone like Henry,' he told GQ. Understanding the character's entrenched background is key. 'The British class system is designed to be eternal - and he can't escape it,' Harington concluded, highlighting the inescapable nature of these social structures.
Personal Life Intruded by Crime
Off-screen, Harington's year began hectically after he and his wife, actress Rose Leslie, suffered a break-in at their £2 million country estate in Suffolk. The disturbing incident occurred in the weeks before Christmas, amid a string of burglaries across the county.
It is believed raiders targeted an outbuilding at the couple's stunning part-moated Tudor farmhouse, a Grade II-listed 15th-century property. This happened despite extra security measures, including 6ft high oak gates, installed after previous intruder incidents. Suffolk Police stepped up patrols following a spate of mid-December burglaries.
One local villager expressed upset over the crime, stating the couple and their two young children had settled in well and were liked by the community. 'Everyone knows Kit and Rose are here... we're also very protective of their privacy,' she said, lamenting that rural crime is now a part of life.
The couple, who have a four-year-old son and a two-year-old daughter, split their time between Suffolk, London, and Los Angeles. Harington bought the Suffolk home in 2017, marrying Scots-born Rose Leslie, granddaughter of a Baron, the following year at her family's Wardhill Castle in Aberdeenshire.
