The Kilted King

**figheadair** · 9th February 23, 12:03 AM

Originally Posted by MacConnachie

Thank you for this note. Please forgive any unintentional lapses in reference to His Royal Highness King Charles III from this Yank, but I am interested in the number and style of kilts in different tartans that HRH is "permitted" to wear. I have seen several in pictures through the years, and was so taken with pics of His Majesty (as then the Prince of Wales) in a kilt in "Macdonald Lord of the Isles" that I capitalized on the opportunity to obtain one in my size when it came up, if I remember correctly, on this Forum.

Any further enlightenment on the subject would be very much appreciated!

MacConnachie

No apologies needed, some in Britain continue to get it wrong too. For clarity, the correct address to/when referring to the King or/and Queen is His/Her, Your/Their, Majesty/Majesties.

Before his ascent to the throne, His Majesty was always known as the Duke of Rothesay in Scotland, rather than Prince of Wales. The background to the title is in this paper (which needs updating).

HM is ‘permitted’ to wear whatever he wants. What he has worn is:

Balmoral
Duke of Rothesay
Duke of Rothesay Hunting (simplified setting)
Gordon Highlanders
Government (Black Watch)
King George VI
Lord of the Isles
Stewart, Dress
Stewart, Hunting
Stewart, Old
Stewart, Royal
Stuart, Prince Charles Edward

His Majesty worn the Duke of Rothesay shortly after he became King but whether he will continue to wear it and Lord of the Isles tartans now that both titles have passed to his heir, Prince William, remains to be seen

**Troglodyte** · 10th February 23, 12:47 AM

Originally Posted by figheadair

No apologies needed, some in Britain continue to get it wrong too. For clarity, the correct address to/when referring to the King or/and Queen is His/Her, Your/Their, Majesty/Majesties.

Before his ascent to the throne, His Majesty was always known as the Duke of Rothesay in Scotland, rather than Prince of Wales. The background to the title is in this paper (which needs updating).

HM is ‘permitted’ to wear whatever he wants. What he has worn is:

Balmoral
Duke of Rothesay
Duke of Rothesay Hunting (simplified setting)
Gordon Highlanders
Government (Black Watch)
King George VI
Lord of the Isles
Stewart, Dress
Stewart, Hunting
Stewart, Old
Stewart, Royal
Stuart, Prince Charles Edward

His Majesty worn the Duke of Rothesay shortly after he became King but whether he will continue to wear it and Lord of the Isles tartans now that both titles have passed to his heir, Prince William, remains to be seen

I have often thought it a fun idea to rummage through The King's wardrobe so see just what is there, as he must have a considerable stock of items once belonging to his father, grandfather, and probably further back also. He tends to be a bit habitual, and is often seen in the same garments, so I wonder what happens to the things that are periodcally out of favour.

As for the young prince, William seems to be not much of a kiltie, but perhaps he refuses compete with the sometimes tartan-clad glamour of his wife. How gentlemanly and gallant is that..?

**neloon** · 10th February 23, 03:11 AM

Originally Posted by Troglodyte

William seems to be not much of a kiltie

i.e. not a kiltie at all. Diana loathed Scotland

and all its symbols so her son continues in that furrow. What Scotland will think of him when he becomes King remains to be seen.

Alan

**kilted scholar** · 10th February 23, 07:50 AM

"Diana loathed Scotland and all its symbols so her son continues in that furrow. What Scotland will think of him when he becomes King remains to be seen."

Evidently, he loathed Scotland so much that he spent three years at the University of St. Andrews and represented the Scottish Universities water polo team. Of course, like his mother, he might well have loathed it but ... ...

**neloon** · 10th February 23, 09:55 AM

Originally Posted by kilted scholar

Evidently, he loathed Scotland so much that he spent three years at the University of St. Andrews and represented the Scottish Universities water polo team. Of course, like his mother, he might well have loathed it but ... ...

He was required to go to St. Andrews because it was reckoned that general security and avoidance of paparazzi would be much easier than at Oxford or Cambridge. Obviously at a Scottish University he couldn't play water polo for England!

Alan

**Jock Scot** · 11th February 23, 02:17 AM

Originally Posted by neloon

i.e. not a kiltie at all. Diana loathed Scotland

and all its symbols so her son continues in that furrow. What Scotland will think of him when he becomes King remains to be seen.

Alan

The Prince of Wales( Prince William) takes a fair amount of his time pursuing things that run, fly and swim in Scotland when he gets the chance much to the delight of those who love country sports in Scotland. However, I don’t think the kilt has ever been an attire choice, that he has taken advantage of.

**OC Richard** · 15th February 23, 04:49 AM

Originally Posted by figheadair

HM is ‘permitted’ to wear whatever he wants. What he has worn is:

Balmoral
Duke of Rothesay
Duke of Rothesay Hunting (simplified setting)
Gordon Highlanders
Government (Black Watch)
King George VI
Lord of the Isles
Stewart, Dress
Stewart, Hunting
Stewart, Old
Stewart, Royal
Stuart, Prince Charles Edward

Thanks for that list!

Here is His Majesty wearing nine of them, I'll do my best to identify them.

Top Row L-R:
King George VI
Balmoral
Gordon (the tartan designed for the Gordon Highlanders)
Prince Charles Edward Stuart

Bottom Row L-R:
Old Stewart (ancient colours)
Lord of the Isles
Duke of Rothesay Hunting (colour reversal of the Vestiarium Scoticum design below, but with all triple white stripes)
Hunting Stewart (ancient colours)
Duke of Rothesay (Vestiarium Scoticum design)

**figheadair** · 15th February 23, 06:03 AM

Originally Posted by OC Richard

Thanks for that list!

Here is His Majesty wearing nine of them, I'll do my best to identify them.

Top Row L-R:
King George VI
Balmoral
Gordon (the tartan designed for the Gordon Highlanders)
Prince Charles Edward Stuart

Bottom Row L-R:
Old Stewart (ancient colours)
Lord of the Isles
Duke of Rothesay Hunting (colour reversal of the Vestiarium Scoticum design below, but with all triple white stripes)
Hunting Stewart (ancient colours)
Duke of Rothesay (Vestiarium Scoticum design)

Richard. Correct but with tne observation that the Htg sett is in fact the incorrect setting and that the tten HRH was badly advised (presumably by Kinloch Andersons). The history of all the Rothesay tartans is discussed in this paper which needs to be updated now that he is King - http://www.scottishtartans.co.uk/research.htm

**OC Richard** · 17th February 23, 05:18 AM

Originally Posted by figheadair

The Htg sett is in fact the incorrect setting and that the then HRH was badly advised (presumably by Kinloch Andersons). The history of all the Rothesay tartans is discussed in this paper which needs to be updated now that he is King - http://www.scottishtartans.co.uk/research.htm

Thanks for that article!

I recall reading it when I saw photos of the then Duke of Rothesay wearing that red Vestiarium Scoticum design and saw your comments about that kilt.

I did have to revisit that article before posting my guesses as to the King's various tartans, and I saw how the original VS 'Rothesay' illustration has alternating single and triple white stripes (illustrated in The Setts of the Scottish Tartans) but that Hunting sett is based on a later simplified design with all triple white stripes.