The Prince of Wales could drop a long-standing royal tradition when he becomes King, and people in Scotland may not be happy about it. Over the years, kilts have been something senior royals tend to wear when in Scotland.
Royal embrace of kilts
A key example of this is King Charles, who always appears to be wearing the traditional dress for his public engagements and ceremonies when in Scotland. This is something that shows the monarch embracing Scottish tradition and culture, with other royals also following suit, including Princess Anne and Prince Edward.
William's different approach
However, one royal that doesn’t seem to embrace wearing kilts, and is unlikely to do this when he one day becomes King, is Prince William. The Prince of Wales never wears a kilt for public engagements in Scotland and is believed to have not worn one since he was a child. Even now, when he holds the Scottish titles of Duke of Rothesay and Lord of the Isles, William still does not wear kilts on engagements in the country.
While he is not technically doing anything wrong by not wearing a kilt, as it is not a requirement for the royals, the fact he may never wear one when he is monarch will be a big change in tradition. This is because kilts are something many royals and monarchs have sported before, with the family even having their own traditional tartan called the Balmoral tartan.
Historical context and William's comments
According to The Mirror, this is a grey, black and red design created by Prince Albert in 1857. Prince William once admitted in a 2003 interview that he had not yet worn a kilt publicly while still at university. He told PA in the interview: “I have worn a kilt in private, and I’m not saying I will never wear one in public.” He then said the garment is “a bit draughty”.
