1822 – George IV Visits Scotland

King George IV made a royal visit to Edinburgh in 1822.

It was the first time a monarch had come to Scotland since 1641 and his tour was stage-managed by Sir Walter Scott. Scott engineered an image of Scotland similar to the country in his romantic novels for the visit.

Highland Games were re-introduced, including at that time ‘twisting the four legs from a cow’, and Niel Gow entertained the King with his legendary fiddle playing.

In the period approaching the visit, the wearing of kilts, trews and all other Highland garb became the height of fashion, accompanied by families finding historical reasons for claiming the various setts as their own.