HOT SCOTS
Trendy is probably the last word you’d use to describe the Scottish.
(I can say that, since I’m one-quarter immigrant Scot myself.)
But in the 19th century, thanks to Sir Walter Scott and the overactive imagination of his most famous fan, Queen Victoria, there was a period where Scotland and particularly the Highlands, were all the rage.
Victoria and Albert bought a highland retreat, Balmoral, and proceeded to spend long summer vacations hunting, stalking and walking in the heather. The Queen even wrote a couple of bestselling books about their life in the Highlands, and Albert designed a Balmoral tartan that Royal men still wear when they’re up there.
Good thing, by the way – until the future George VI had the sense to marry an actual Scotswoman, the royals had no real right to wear any tartan, unless you count that EXTREMELY distant connection to Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots.
For many Victorians, Scotland was a thing, a just-distant-enough, just-romantic-enough escape from English or American reality. Scots, as everyone knew from the stereotypes, might have red hair, appealing accents, and very nice legs to look at in kilts – but they were also canny, hardworking and thrifty.
The Scots also seemed happy enough to be part of Britain, unlike the Irish who’d never really stopped demanding some level of autonomy. Of course, the British Government hadn’t starved a million or so of them to death in the Great Hunger, either…but that’s a different post.
So, the Scots were the safe Celts. They had all of the romantic legends, beautiful scenery, and musical accents…but none of the baggage of the Irish, who many Anglo-Saxons still considered barely human. Or at least rebellious, ungrateful and drunk.
Scots versus Irish, by the way, was still an issue as late as my grandparents’ courtship when my grandfather, who had an Irish last name, swore that he was SCOTCH-Irish – a good hardworking Protestant man! – to win over my great-grandfather.
In the late 19th century, though, it was enough to know that Scots were hot. From Queen Victoria putting Albert in a kilt (and later enjoying the company of her “Highland Servant” John Brown) to the ladies swooning over Scott’s heroes, everyone loved a Scotsman.
Victoria’s love of tartan and bagpipes was a harder sell. Many aristocrats snickered at the Balmoral décor, and cringed at the sound of Her Majesty’s piper at dinner. But middle-class Victorians, the queen’s real fans, were all in, laying down tartan rugs and cheering on their local pipe corps.
All of this is more than fun background for Ella Shane and her Duke. Gil’s mother is Scots, and he grew up with a love of his heritage…and a rebellious Highland streak. Ella, raised in an Irish family, finds some of her first common ground with him as a fellow Celt, realizing that this fine aristocrat is at least a little bit like her.
Oh, and that irresistible accent. As a Duke and a Member of the House of Lords, Gilbert St. Aubyn normally speaks standard London English. Except in angry – or intimate -- moments. Then, his natural North of England accent, similar to a Scottish burr, emerges. In my mind, Gil sounds very much like Sir Sean Connery, and I love to imagine him reading to Ella with that accent.
If you do too, feel free…good fantasies are for sharing!
Got a #ThrowbackThursday idea? Drop it in the comments!
(I can say that, since I’m one-quarter immigrant Scot myself.)
But in the 19th century, thanks to Sir Walter Scott and the overactive imagination of his most famous fan, Queen Victoria, there was a period where Scotland and particularly the Highlands, were all the rage.
Victoria and Albert bought a highland retreat, Balmoral, and proceeded to spend long summer vacations hunting, stalking and walking in the heather. The Queen even wrote a couple of bestselling books about their life in the Highlands, and Albert designed a Balmoral tartan that Royal men still wear when they’re up there.
Good thing, by the way – until the future George VI had the sense to marry an actual Scotswoman, the royals had no real right to wear any tartan, unless you count that EXTREMELY distant connection to Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots.
For many Victorians, Scotland was a thing, a just-distant-enough, just-romantic-enough escape from English or American reality. Scots, as everyone knew from the stereotypes, might have red hair, appealing accents, and very nice legs to look at in kilts – but they were also canny, hardworking and thrifty.
The Scots also seemed happy enough to be part of Britain, unlike the Irish who’d never really stopped demanding some level of autonomy. Of course, the British Government hadn’t starved a million or so of them to death in the Great Hunger, either…but that’s a different post.
So, the Scots were the safe Celts. They had all of the romantic legends, beautiful scenery, and musical accents…but none of the baggage of the Irish, who many Anglo-Saxons still considered barely human. Or at least rebellious, ungrateful and drunk.
Scots versus Irish, by the way, was still an issue as late as my grandparents’ courtship when my grandfather, who had an Irish last name, swore that he was SCOTCH-Irish – a good hardworking Protestant man! – to win over my great-grandfather.
In the late 19th century, though, it was enough to know that Scots were hot. From Queen Victoria putting Albert in a kilt (and later enjoying the company of her “Highland Servant” John Brown) to the ladies swooning over Scott’s heroes, everyone loved a Scotsman.
Victoria’s love of tartan and bagpipes was a harder sell. Many aristocrats snickered at the Balmoral décor, and cringed at the sound of Her Majesty’s piper at dinner. But middle-class Victorians, the queen’s real fans, were all in, laying down tartan rugs and cheering on their local pipe corps.
All of this is more than fun background for Ella Shane and her Duke. Gil’s mother is Scots, and he grew up with a love of his heritage…and a rebellious Highland streak. Ella, raised in an Irish family, finds some of her first common ground with him as a fellow Celt, realizing that this fine aristocrat is at least a little bit like her.
Oh, and that irresistible accent. As a Duke and a Member of the House of Lords, Gilbert St. Aubyn normally speaks standard London English. Except in angry – or intimate -- moments. Then, his natural North of England accent, similar to a Scottish burr, emerges. In my mind, Gil sounds very much like Sir Sean Connery, and I love to imagine him reading to Ella with that accent.
If you do too, feel free…good fantasies are for sharing!
Got a #ThrowbackThursday idea? Drop it in the comments!
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