Prince William is the future king of Scotland but won't wear kilts when he visits — it's not a good look
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- Prince William rarely wears a traditional Scottish kilt.
- But as the future king of Scotland, it would mean a lot if he did.
- The prince should follow King Charles' lead and wear a kilt before he is crowned.
William, Prince of Wales, appeared to break royal tradition by not wearing a kilt when visiting my home country, Scotland, earlier this week.
But as the future king, he should have.
William and Kate Middleton — who have the titles of the Duke and Duchess of Rothesay while in Scotland — were in the country's capital, Edinburgh, for Royal Week, an annual celebration of Scottish culture marked by visits across the country by the royal family.
Although King Charles III was crowned at his coronation ceremony in London on May 6, he wasn't officially recognized as Scotland's king until a coronation celebration at St Giles' Cathedral on July 5. On Wednesday, he was presented with the Honours of Scotland — the Scottish crown jewels — at an official ceremony attended by William and other members of the royal family.
William didn't wear a kilt in Scotland — and he hasn't in a long time
Charles is often photographed wearing a kilt, and he most recently wore one while visiting Kinneil House in Edinburgh on Monday. And the late Prince Philip was also pictured wearing kilts during his visits to Scotland.
Kilts originated in the Scottish Highlands in the 16th century, according to the famous kilt purveyor, Lochcarron of Scotland. The tartan, skirt-like garment is still popular to this day, with many Scottish men opting to wear a kilt to formal events. My dad wore a kilt to his wedding, and my partner recently wore one to his PhD graduation.
But unlike Charles, William hasn't been photographed wearing a kilt since he was a child, despite the fact that he went to university in Scotland, the Daily Mail reports.
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William had the option to wear one at his graduation from the University of St. Andrews in 2005, but instead opted for a suit with a white bow tie, the publication added.
When Queen Elizabeth II was alive, it used to irritate me when people referred to her as "Queen of England." She was Queen of the United Kingdom, which Scotland is part of.
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As William is expected to one day be king of Scotland, it would go a long way with Scottish people if he showed a respect and appreciation for our culture and traditions. And wearing a kilt would be a great start.
In my opinion, the prince should follow Charles' lead and wear one before he is crowned.
Representatives for Kensington Palace and Buckingham Palace did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.