Prince William Might End This 170-Year-Old Royal Fashion Tradition When He Becomes King
Prince William Might End This 170-Year-Old Royal Fashion Tradition When He Becomes King
Rachel BurchfieldWed, August 12, 2026 at 1:51 PM UTC
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Prince William at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland on August 1, 2026.Credit: GettyThe Gist -
The royal family is headed up to Balmoral, their late summer retreat in Scotland that has been a part of the family since Queen Victoria’s reign.
While in Scotland, King Charles often wears the traditional kilt, a symbol of Scottish pride and heritage.
His son Prince William, however, hasn’t been seen wearing a kilt since he was a child, even though he’s had numerous opportunities to do so.
A longstanding royal fashion tradition could be going by the wayside when Prince William becomes king someday.
As we speak, members of the royal family are headed up to Balmoral, their beloved late summer retreat in the Scottish Highlands. While there, King Charles often wears a kilt, an integral part of Scottish heritage—but it’s a tradition William seems less interested in participating in.
King Charles wearing a kilt in Edinburgh, Scotland on June 27, 2026.Credit: Getty
Charles is often seen wearing a kilt in an array of tartans while in Scotland, and will no doubt be spotted doing so when he is in Aberdeenshire imminently. As The Mirror reported, there is no official obligation for members of the royal family to wear kits while in Scotland, but it’s a “tradition that the king decides to keep alive.”
William, for his part—despite having many chances to do so, including at countless royal engagements in Scotland in his adult years—hasn’t worn a kilt publicly since he was a child (and likely didn’t have a lot of say in the matter). William, known as the Duke of Rothesay when in Scotland, went to college in Scotland at the University of St. Andrews. Upon his graduation in 2005, he notably opted out of wearing a kilt. Instead, he wore a white bow tie and black silk academic gown with red lining.
King Charles on August 1, 2026.Credit: Getty
In addition to the king, generations of royals have donned a kilt for public appearances in Scotland, including Charles’s father and William’s grandfather, Prince Philip. The tradition of royals wearing kilts dates back to the 19th century, according to Hello!. The royal family even has its own traditional tartan, the Balmoral tartan, which was created by Prince Albert in 1857 and is gray, black, and red, The Mirror reported.
Prince Philip, Queen Elizabeth, and Prince Philip in 2005.Credit: Getty
William has never publicly addressed his perceived aversion to kilts, but he has been called out for it. A 2022 article in The Timesincluded the line “please wear a kilt” in its headline. In the piece, John Sugden, proprietor of Campbell’s of Beauty—a tailor that received a prestigious royal warrant—said, “It would be wonderful to see him in a kilt and Highland regalia. It would help keep up the tradition and give the industry a much needed boost.”
In 2023, The Guardian declared that William—who the outlet noted is “the heir to the throne of Scotland”—“has not inherited his father’s enthusiasm for traditional Highland dress.” Charles, for his part, is so fastidious about his extensive wardrobe of kits that he insists that “every inch of material used was sourced from Scotland,” The Guardian reported, adding that the monarch “takes every opportunity to show them off while in Scotland.”
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Prince Charles, Prince Harry, and Prince Harry in Scotland on August 16, 1997.Credit: Getty
“It is curious that William has not worn the kilt as an adult, though he may have done so in private,” Joe Little, managing editor of Majesty magazine, told the publication. “Sightings of him in rural Scotland are rare. But wearing a kilt in an urban setting at least once would silence his critics. Others, of course, would see it as a PR stunt.”
Balmoral has officially closed to the public as of August 9, which typically signals the start of the royals’ summer holiday there. It has been the family’s getaway since the reign of Queen Victoria, whose husband Prince Albert purchased the castle and its surrounding 7,000 acres in 1845, People reported. Royal biographer Sally Bedell Smith told the outlet that “Balmoral has always been a place of rejuvenation and reflection.”
Prince William, Prince Charles, and Prince Harry on August 12, 1997.Credit: Getty
It was also beloved by Queen Elizabeth, who died there in 2022 at age 96. Her granddaughter Princess Eugenie said in the 2016 documentary Our Queen at Ninety that “I think Granny is the most happy there. I think she really, really loves the Highlands.”
While William may not be a fan of the kilt, he is a fan of Balmoral—so that tradition will likely stay even after Charles’s reign ends someday. He told Country Life in 2018, “My family has deep connections there, and it was such a fun part of my childhood and upbringing.”
Princess Diana, Prince William, Prince Charles, and Prince Harry at Balmoral in 1988.Credit: Getty
“[Prince] George, [Princess] Charlotte, and [Prince] Louis already know how dear Scotland is to both of us, and they’re starting to build their own happy memories here, too,” William said in 2024, referring to himself and wife Kate Middleton, who met and fell in love while at university in Scotland.
Balmoral is “a breathe, relax, and be still kind of place, and that’s what they all love about it,” former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond told The Mirror. “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.”
Balmoral Castle.Credit: Getty
“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,” she added. “Generation after generation seem to have fallen under the spell of the castle and its grounds.”
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