Why so common?

[Patty Logan]

Why is Royal Stewart so common? ive seen on every thing from shirts, crew socks, underwear, hats, etc...
Is it because it is a simplistic design that is not distracting to the eye? It says in the Register that "Suggestions by various authors that the sett was known at the end of the 18th century and it was reputed to have been worn by one of Bonnie Prince Charlie's followers in the 1745 Rising". For that reason, did more followers wear it in support of Bonnie Prince Charlie during the rising? it also says in the register "George IV wore this on his visit to Scotland in 1822 and it was adopted by Queen Victoria for the Royal Family." curious to know the reason behind it. Thanks.

[figheadair]

Why is Royal Stewart so common? ive seen on every thing from shirts, crew socks, underwear, hats, etc...
Is it because it is a simplistic design that is not distracting to the eye? It says in the Register that "Suggestions by various authors that the sett was known at the end of the 18th century and it was reputed to have been worn by one of Bonnie Prince Charlie's followers in the 1745 Rising. For that reason, did more followers wear it in support of Bonnie Prince Charlie during the revolution? it also says in the register "George IV wore this on his visit to Scotland in 1822 and it was adopted by Queen Victoria for the Royal Family." "George IV wore this on his visit to Scotland in 1822 and it was adopted by Queen Victoria for the Royal Family." curious to know the reason behind it. Thanks.

There is not evidence to support the use of the Royals Stewart before the late 18th century, certainly not being worn by PCE and his followers during the '45, which was a Rising (Rebellion if you prefer) but not a Revolution.

The RS was almost certainly designed and certainly named during the early Highland Revival period (c.1780-1840) and its name owes much to the rehabilitations of the Highlanders and romance about Bonnie Prince Charlie. George IV wanted to emphasis his Stuart connections/descent and so chose the RS on the recommendation of either his tailor, or Sir Walter Scott. It was also very popular as a fashion tartan due to the King wearing it and it has been a staple fashion tartan ever since. For much the same reason as KGIV, Queen Victoria and members of her family used it and it have been worn by every monarch since.

[Patty Logan]

George IV wanted to emphasis his Stuart connections/descent and so chose the RS on the recommendation of either his tailor, or Sir Walter Scott.

Thanks Peter. very cool to know!

[kilted redleg]

So Peter, you better than anyone knows when it comes to tartan there is always the romantic [legend] side of the tartan and the truth. If the RS tartan was a fashion tartan, did the Royals ever try to restrict its use and have it as just a royal tartan like Balmoral.

[OC Richard]

Why is Royal Stewart so common? ive seen on every thing from shirts, crew socks, underwear, hats, etc...

Is it because it is a simplistic design that is not distracting to the eye?

Interesting, I never thought of it as "simplistic". It looks rather complicated to me, and uses quite a few different colours.

For "simplistic" you can't beat the Allen Brothers. Compare their designs to Royal Stewart, it's quite a contrast!



It does amaze me how popular Royal Stewart remains, a testament to it having some inexplicable universal attractiveness.

And also how durable the design is! How the sett can be stretched and compressed and the colours can be changed to practically anything and you still end up with something attractive.

[OC Richard]

The RS was almost certainly designed and certainly named during the early Highland Revival period (c.1780-1840) and its name owes much to the rehabilitations of the Highlanders and romance about Bonnie Prince Charlie.

Do you reckon RS is a Wilsons of Bannockburn design?

They did seem to use that basic structure for a number of their designs.

George IV wanted to emphasis his Stuart connections/descent and so chose the RS on the recommendation of either his tailor, or Sir Walter Scott. It was also very popular as a fashion tartan due to the King wearing it and it has been a staple fashion tartan ever since.

I could be wrong, but I think one thing that helped spread and support the popularity of RS is the fact that it was worn by the pipers of The Black Watch, The Scots Guards, The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards, the Royal Scots, The Kings Own Scottish Borderers, and even (for a time) The Cameron Highlanders. These pipers were seen the world over.

Not to mention RS was extremely popular for civilian pipers and pipe bands as well.

The chocolate-box image of Scotland known the world over is a piper resplendent in Royal Stewart tartan.

[figheadair]

Do you reckon RS is a Wilsons of Bannockburn design?

They did seem to use that basic structure for a number of their designs.

I do.


[QUOTEI could be wrong, but I think one thing that helped spread and support the popularity of RS is the fact that it was worn by the pipers of The Black Watch, The Scots Guards, The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards, the Royal Scots, The Kings Own Scottish Borderers, and even (for a time) The Cameron Highlanders. These pipers were seen the world over.[/QUOTE]

These were all during the Victorian era I think. It was the tartan of choice for civial dress around the time of George IV''s visit, it was even adopted as the house tartan by the Highland Society of London.

[figheadair]

So Peter, you better than anyone knows when it comes to tartan there is always the romantic [legend] side of the tartan and the truth. If the RS tartan was a fashion tartan, did the Royals ever try to restrict its use and have it as just a royal tartan like Balmoral.

George VI tried to restricted it but when it was explained that he could, he restricted the Balmoral instead.

[OC Richard]

Royal Stewart seems to be restricted in that military units have been granted the right to wear it by the Sovereign, for example King George VI granting blue hackles to the Cameron Highlanders and giving permission for the pipers to wear Royal Stewart kilts and plaids.

Here's Pipe Major Evan MacRae of the Cameron Highlanders during the short time they wore Royal Stewart.

A decade after George VI put their pipers into Royal Stewart the Camerons were amalgamated with the Seaforths to form The Queens Own Highlanders, the pipers of which reverted to the original Cameron Highlanders piper's uniforms with Erracht Cameron kilts and plaids.

BTW I think this photo is the most often reproduced image of a piper. I've seen it on tea-towels, ash-trays, shot glasses, and on innumerable post-cards.



Here's the original photo, a tea-towel which used it, and a tea-towel where they stuck a feather bonnet on Evan's head!

I'm surprised that white spats didn't appear on his feet at some point.

[kilted2000]

I wonder if RS being used as an anti-establishment way by the punk movement in the 70s played a role as well.