The love that our late Queen had for her summers at Balmoral Castle and Scotland, in general, has been well documented, especially over the last few days. Often photographed at the Braemar Highland games or Balmoral Castle, tartan features in many of the photos that we get to see. During her reign, the Queen had been seen in a number of tartans but two, in particular, have an interesting story behind them.
Universal V.S. Restricted Tartans
Tartans can be classified into various different categories and those categories have changed over the centuries but for all intents and purposes, today's tartans can be classified as either Universal or Restricted. Universal tartans have no restrictions on who can wear them and although a lot of traditional tartans can also fall into the Clan tartan category, there are no restrictions and anyone can choose to wear them. Restricted tartans are the opposite and the use of (including the wearing of) the tartan design is only allowed with the permission of the owner of the design. Our Mist range of tartans are restricted and only MacGregor and MacDuff has the authority to use the design. In our case, this means that we are the only ones that are able to make Mist tartan products, but we do not restrict anyone from wearing or buying mist products from us. Anyone can create their own tartan design and have it registered with The Scottish Register of Tartans. During the registration process, there is a section that you must complete that confirms whether you would like to allow your tartan free use as a Universal tartan or whether you would like to restrict it and have full control over who can wear it.
Royal Stewart Tartan
The Royal Stewart tartan is the official tartan of Queen Elizabeth II and officially speaking, is a Restricted tartan and should not be worn by anyone without the permission from the head of the monarchy. However, thanks to a decline in formal traditions and widespread use of the tartan, the rules for this particular tartan have fallen away, making it an 'unofficial' Universal tartan. The Queen and many of the Royal Family have been pictured in Royal Stewart, whether it be King Charles in a kilt, or The Duchess of Cambridge in a tartan skirt. All of these photos have contributed to its popularity and helped make the Royal Stewart tartan possibly one of the most recognisable tartans in the world.
The Balmoral Tartan
Although the official tartan of the Monarchy has now unofficially become a Universal tartan, there is still one tartan that can only be worn with the express permission of the Queen and now, the King. That tartan is the Balmoral and has been strictly reserved for the Kings and Queens of the UK since its creation back in 1853. The tartan was designed by Queen Victoria’s husband and features a grey, black and red design. The Balmoral tartan was named after the Castle in Aberdeenshire and has been worn by every Monarch since Queen Victoria. The only other person that is approved to wear the Balmoral tartan is the King’s personal piper.
Black Watch Tartan
Traditionally speaking, those who do not have a tartan of their own are allowed to wear either the Black Watch tartan or the Hunting Stewart. Black Watch remains a popular tartan choice because of this tradition as well as it having a rich history. As many might have noticed, during the Queen’s procession through Edinburgh, the soldiers that were present were all wearing Black Watch kilts. This is because it is the official tartan of the Royal Regiment of Scotland and soldiers in this regiment will wear Black Watch kilts during ceremonial occasions. The Black Watch tartan worn by these soldiers is very similar to the commercial version that anyone can buy, apart from the Royal Regiment of Scotland version has slightly lighter shades.
Each tartan, whether a modern universal or ancient Clan tartan, has a history and a rationale for its design. However, the Royal Stewart and Balmoral are unique in their connection to the Monarchy, making them slightly more special. If you like either of these tartans and want your own, why not draw inspiration from both of them and create your very own tartan with our Tartan Design Service? Work with our in-house designer and create something beautiful, unique, and personal. For more information visit our Tartan Design Service page or email tartandesign@macgregorandmacduff.co.uk.
