The Queen has officially left Windsor Castle for her summer residence in Scotland. The Monarch typically spends time at her beloved Balmoral retreat from July to early October; a place where she can recuperate and relax. According to Princess Eugenie, Balmoral is where “Granny is most happy”. “I think she really, really loves the Highlands,” the Queen’s granddaughter added. In the first episode of Darcey Bussell’s Royal Road Trip on More4, Darcey visited a tartan shop in Edinburgh and learnt all about the royal tartan and how the Queen likes to wear the fabric when in Scotland on her holiday.
Darcey explained: “Edinburgh the Scottish capital, a stunning city with many links to the Queen, including one very special one – tartan.
“This fabric originated in Celtic Europe, becoming popular in Scotland in the 16th century.
“Today, the Queen’s tartan is made by the firm Kinloch Anderson, who has held a royal warrant since 1934.
“John Kinloch Anderson is the sixth generation of this family firm, and he’s laid out something here pretty exclusive.
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The tartan kilts – including those made for the Royal Family – are all hand stitched, the only thing that’s machine is binding along the top.
Darcey was told it takes 14 hours to make a kilt, and the secret to a good tartan is symmetry.
The pattern, or the set, should be repeated every six to eight inches and should be made up of at least two colours, but no more than six.
Episode one of Darcey Bussell’s Royal Road Trip is available to watch on Channel4.com.
