King Charles sports new tartan kilt in Burns Night celebration picture
The King is celebrating Burns Night with the release of a new image that shows him sporting a traditional Scottish kilt. Buckingham Palace released a new photo on Saturday showing King Charles wearing a beige jacket and waistcoat, alongside his kilt and a traditional brown sporran. He smiles as he rests his hand on a pile of books in the picture.
A colourful tie, handkerchief and a purple flower pinned on to his jacket lapel make up the rest of his outfit. He wears a kilt of green, red and blue stripes, making up the new King Charles III tartan, a new variety of the cloth designed by the Scottish Tartans Authority in 2023.
This new pattern was created to mark Charles' coronation. Its aim is to recognise the King’s support in preserving the culture and traditions of Highland dress and Scottish tartans.
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The image was taken last autumn in the library of Balmoral Castle in Aberdeenshire, a Scottish home handed down through generations of royals after it was purchased by Prince Albert in 1852 for Queen Victoria.
Queen Elizabeth II died at Balmoral in September 2022, and Charles spent many months at the estate in 2024 following his cancer diagnosis.
Burns Night celebrates the life and work of poet Robert Burns, who is widely seen as the national poet of Scotland, and is held on the anniversary of his birth in 1759.
The celebrations often involve dining on traditional Scottish food, such as haggis, and recitals of Burns’ famous work.
The King has shared his love of Scotland by spending summers at Balmoral with the royal family, and is often seen wearing kilts when visiting.
Charles sent a message of “heartfelt congratulations” to the people of Glasgow in early January for the city's 850th anniversary, as he praised the city for its rich culture and centuries of resilience.
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