Tartan honours Prince William and Kate Middleton

[Alan H]

You know, while it's all well and good to have a new tartan, I mean....honestly, why?

"Look- the royal family has a new dog. Let's design a new tartan to honor their new household pet."


I don't know. There's nothing wrong with it...... Just kind of seems pointless, to me. Then again, I'm short on sleep this week, so....

[Morris at Heathfield]

You know, while it's all well and good to have a new tartan, I mean....honestly, why?

"Look- the royal family has a new dog. Let's design a new tartan to honor their new household pet."


I don't know. There's nothing wrong with it...... Just kind of seems pointless, to me. Then again, I'm short on sleep this week, so....

One may question the propriety of McCalls' designing a new tartan to commemorate (and potentially profit from) the occasion, but this is certainly not a new thing. Several new tartans were designed on the occasion of the marriage of Princess Louise to the Marquess of Lorne (i.e., the Duke of Argyll's eldest son) in 1871.

[McClef]

Any major Royal occasion will generate all kinds of memorabilia produced by manufacturers though tartans may be a rarer one.

According to one website:

"There is such a wide range of items, mainly conservative in nature such as China Plates, teacups, mugs, dresser boxes, figurines, spoons, pins, medallions, crystal goblets & paperweights, even jigsaw puzzles, calendars, handkerchiefs, tea towels and dolls just to name a few."

Their value will vary according to age and rarity.

However there is a risk involved if the event the items commemorate then fail to come off. Many such items were produced to commemorate the Coronation of Edward VIII for example and remained unsold because he was never crowned. Prices are therefore often very reasonable!

http://collectables.shop.ebay.co.uk/...-/69753/i.html

However a kilt worn by Edward VIII was recently auctioned with an estimate of £500 and went for £1550.

This new tartan would require a real personal connection for it to have value such as it being worn in some form by one or both of the new royal couple which is fairly unlikely.

[Dixiecat]

As for the discussion regarding William being styled as Duke of Cornwall, I think this is highly unlikely considering how his step-mother is already styled. I think it most likely that if William were to be given a new title, that one will be created and the most likely being, Duke of Clarence considering the historical royal connections this title has. Queen Victoria's son, Prince Albert Edward was Prince of Wales while his mother was on the throne and his eldest son was the Duke of Clarence during this period.

[McClef]

I have not heard of Clarence being circulated as a possibility.

It is a name with mixed fortunes, one Duke of Clarence was drowned in a vat of Malmsey wine and the son of Edward Albert, Prince Eddie, Duke of Clarence and Avondale, died very young.

Thought he previous Duke of Clarence who was also called William did become King William IV but had no legitimate children.

Had he done so there would have been no Queen Victoria.