With the Royal Family about to start enjoying their summer holidays in Balmoral, the King will no doubt don a kilt for any public outings in Scotland
William and his family are enjoying their summer break, which is expected to include spending time in Balmoral(Image: Getty Images)
As the fun-filled summer season rages on, the Royal Family have a much lighter workload – and soon are expected to spend time together in the Balmoral estate in Scotland.
Balmoral summer holidays have long been a staple for the royals, with the tradition being cemented by the late Queen Elizabeth.
Each year, countless royals are invited to spend time at the Aberdeenshire estate, basking in the sunshine, taking part in countless outdoor activities, and taking a break as a family before their royal duties resume in earnest in September. And while the holidays are steeped in tradition for the royals, so is one other aspect of spending summer in Scotland for the King: wearing a kilt.
For many years, King Charles has been seen wearing the traditional dress in an array of tartans for his public engagements and ceremonies when in Scotland.
Most recently, the monarch was seen meeting with locals in Dingwall, and was pictured wearing a traditional kilt with a green, blue and red tartan pattern, complete with a sporran. Days earlier, Charles oversaw the Mey Highland Games in Caithness in a Balmoral royal tartan kilt.
While there is no official obligation for the royals to wear kilts while in Scotland, it is one particular tradition that the King decides to keep alive.
For Prince William, however, it seems a different story, as the Prince of Wales has not been seen wearing a kilt for public engagements. The last time William was pictured in the garment was alongside his brother Prince Harry when they were children in official family portraits.
William, who holds the Scottish titles of Duke of Rothesay and Lord of the Isles, has not addressed his apparent aversion to kilts, but has notably opted out of wearing one for major events, including his graduation from the University of St Andrews.
Before William, generations of royals have donned a kilt for public appearances in Scotland, including his late grandfather Prince Philip. The Royal Family has a long history with the garment, and they even have their own traditional tartan, called the Balmoral tartan, which is a grey, black and red design created by Prince Albert in 1857.
And while it seems the Prince of Wales will not be wearing any kilts this summer, it is believed he and the Princess of Wales, along with their three children, are expected to spend time in Balmoral this month, before Prince George starts his secondary schooling at Eton College in September.
Royal expert Jennie Bond tells the Mirror, the estate’s dramatic landscape, rolling lush green hills and quiet remoteness is the perfect backdrop for the Wales family to recharge their batteries before a busy September full of change.
The former BBC royal correspondent said: “The summer stay up there has always been a time primarily for William, Catherine and the rest of the family to gather in the peace of the Scottish countryside after the busyness and noise of their working lives in London and elsewhere.
“It’s a ‘breathe, relax and be still’ kind of place, and that’s what they all love about it. Its beauty is undeniable, but the castle really is quite remote, and it’s the sort of place where you have to make your own fun. That, however, is something that generations of the Royal Family seem very well equipped to do. They walk and romp, play games and ride, and fish and shoot (when in season) – it’s part of Balmoral life.
“The Balmoral holiday is an important tradition for the family when quite a lot of them can spend time together away from work, away from the cameras and very seriously off-duty. Generation after generation seem to have fallen under the spell of the castle and its grounds.”
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