Prince William’s Refusal to Wear a Kilt Might Put an End to the Ancient Tradition Completely
Despite being a deeply rooted tradition in the royal family, Prince William shows no interest in donning the conventional Scottish kilt. This ancient custom, with connections to the family’s Scottish heritage, could potentially wane if William, the heir apparent, decides to break with this practice.
With other members of the royal family keeping the Scottish tradition alive, William refuses to wear a kilt in public.
Prince William refuses to wear a kilt despite it being a royal family tradition
Following the longstanding tradition of the royal family, William’s father, King Charles, proudly dons a kilt at appropriate events.
This practice is deeply rooted in their Scottish heritage and is often seen as an obligation. However, it seems that the next in line for the throne may not inherit this tradition.
William, it seems, has no desire to sport the tartan attire. In fact, there hasn’t been a single photo of him wearing a kilt during his adult years.
While William hasn’t explicitly stated his reasons for avoiding this attire, his lack of enthusiasm is evident.
The royal family wearing tartan and kilts originates from the early years of Queen Victoria’s reign. Successive generations, including King George V, King George VI, Queen Elizabeth herself, and her children, have upheld it.
However, it appears this tradition may be fading away with the new generation of royals.
The Prince of Wales skips out on wearing a kilt during King Charles’ Scottish coronation
William, alongside other members of the royal family, joined Charles for his Scottish coronation in Edinburgh. Throughout the week of celebrations, Charles wore the conventional Scottish garb, officially acknowledging him as king.
Similar to his father Prince Philip, Charles has often been captured on camera honoring the long-standing tradition of wearing a kilt.
However, William chose to forgo the Scottish tradition, despite the event’s importance. If William ever intended to wear a kilt and uphold the royal family’s tradition, Charles’ Scottish coronation would have been the perfect opportunity.
Interestingly, William shares a special bond with Scotland, as it was at St Andrew’s University where he first met his future wife, Kate Middleton.
Despite these close ties, William still refused to appear in public wearing a kilt. With William refusing to say why, royal watchers are left with more questions than answers.
King Charles’ tailor encourages Prince William to wear a kilt
Despite his reluctance, people have subtly encouraged William to emulate his father by wearing a kilt during his trips to the northern regions.
John Sugden, the owner of Campbell’s of Beauly, a tailor and tweed merchant appointed by King Charles, shared his thoughts on the kilt situation.
According to Scottish Daily Express, he expressed puzzlement over William’s hesitation and cheerfully offered to craft a kilt and jacket for the Prince of Wales.
“I don’t know what his reluctance is, but we would be delighted to make a kilt and jacket for the Prince of Wales,” Sugden stated.
This is not the first time William has been asked to wear a kilt at a royal event, and probably will not be the last.
In 2011, during a visit to St. Andrew’s, people asked Kate Middleton if Prince William would consider wearing a kilt for their nuptials. Kate clarified that he would not and instead opt for his Irish Guards uniform.
