Royal Stewart: The Best Known Of All Scottish Tartans

The Royal Stewart, the family tartan of Her Majesty the Queen and the most well-known of all Scottish tartans, represents the Royal House of Stewart. All members of the Queen's subjects should dress in the Royal Stewart tartan, just as clansmen do when donning the tartan of their chief. Here are interesting things about the Royal Stewart clan and tartan that can surprise you.

History Of Royal Stewart Clan

Stewart Tartan

The Clan Stewart has four main branches: Appin, Atholl, Balquhidder, and Bute. As a result, their estates are dispersed across all of Scotland. Edinburgh Castle, Stirling Castle, Linlithgow Palace, Castle Stalker, Doune Castle, Bishop's Palace, and Castle Stuart, to name a few, were originally owned by the clan and are among the most recognizable buildings in Scotland. From the time Robert II ascended to the throne in 1371 until Queen Anne's death in 1714, the Clan Stewart held the kingdom of Scotland. Of course, there are lots of locations to explore in Scotland that are connected to numerous well-known Stuarts, like Mary Stuart and Charles Stuart.

The term "armigerous clan" refers to a clan, family, or name that is registered with the Court of Lord Lyon but does not currently have a chief acknowledged by the Lyon Court. Clan Royal Stewart falls under this category. The 14th Earl of Galloway, Andrew Clyde Stewart, is regarded as the Clan Commander. The Earls of Galloway is currently the main branch of the Clan.

Clan Stuart of Bute and Clan Stewart of Appin is recognized by the Court of Lord Lyon as two distinct clans belonging to the Stewart line. Clan Stuart of Bute is the only one of the three to have a recognized chief. John Bryson Crichton-Stuart, the 8th Marquess of Bute, who succeeded his father after the latter's death from cancer in March 2021, is their leader.

Meaning Of The Name "Stewart"

The old English name Stewart, which means "steward," comes from the words stigeweard, which means "hall" and "guardian" or "warden," respectively. The two well-known spellings of the name, Stewart (the original spelling) and Stuart (the French spelling), are arguably more intriguing. The absence of the letter "w" in the French alphabet led to the latter. With the expansion of French influence in Scotland during the 16th century, this spelling became more common.

Edinburgh Castle: The Most Notable Castle Of Royal Stewart Clan

Edinburgh Castle

The Stewart family once owned Edinburgh Castle, possibly the most famous castle they ever had. In the heart of Edinburgh, on a rock, is where you'll find Edinburgh Castle. The earliest castle atop the rock is believed to have been built in the 12th century. It served as a royal residence base until the 17th century when its primary function changed to serve as a military barracks. According to research, the castle has been attacked 26 times throughout the course of its lengthy history, making it the most frequently besieged and attacked location in all of Great Britain.

Stewart Clan Crest

Royal Stewart crest

A pelican tending to her babies in its nest is depicted on the crest of the Clan Stewart. Virescit vulnere virtus, which translates to "Courage becomes strong at a wound," is the motto in Latin that appears on the crest. The pelican on the crest is intriguing because it is not a Scottish native species. They may have been observed by Scottish crusaders as they traveled to the holy land. As a sign of self-sacrifice and to put the motto into perspective, earlier iterations of the crest would show the pelican feeding her young with blood from her own chest.

Stewart Clan Plant Badge

The thistle

The thistle is the official plant of Clan Stewart. This plant is well-known as the floral representation of Scotland. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that Clan Stewart also chose it as their own. Clan Stewart is a significant and powerful clan.

Royal Stewart Tartan

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The Stewart Tartan has ancient regimental ties in addition to its flourishing Royal link. The Hunting Stewart Modern tartan patch beneath the emblem on their beret is how the 15th Battalion Parachute Regiment of Scotland set themselves apart from other battalions. Even though the Royal Scots Association Pipe Band no longer exists and continues to wear the Hunting Stewart tartan kilt as their band uniform, the Royal Scots Association Pipe Band once belonged to the Royal Regiment of Scotland and wore Hunting Stewart tartan trews as part of their dress uniform in the later decades of their regiment.

Who May Dress Royal Stewart Tartan?

Everyone can wear Royal Stewart Tartan

Elizabeth II's official tartan is the Royal Stewart Tartan. This implies, theoretically, that tartan cannot be worn without the Queen's express consent. Fortunately, because of its popularity, it has earned the distinction of being a Universal tartan, allowing anyone to don it without violating their own clan's dress code. One of the most popular tartans in the world is scarlet red, but there are widely different varieties. If red is not your color, the identical set is also available in black, blue, camel, and the predominately white dress variety.

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