Quote Originally Posted by Steve Ashton View Post
Myth 1a - There is also the myth about the Queen using one of her pins to pin down some soldiers kilt. I cannot find any historical proof to support this story. The large diaper pin shaped pin is actually a horse blanket pin. They used what they had. What is more likely is that there was a time before we used straps and buckles that the blanket pin kept the kilt on. Then, when we started using straps and buckles the blanket pin was kept, just moved down to the bottom.
Steve, the myth refers to an alleged incident when Queen Victoria was reviewing the 92nd (Gordon Highlanders). That, if indeed it took place at all, would have been at Ballater or Braemar, or possibly Balmoral. It is said that a soldier's kilt caught the wind and that the Queen moved forward and pinned the aprons together with a blanket pin. Such military traditions are not unknown but in this case it is very unlikely that QV would have touched a common soldier, let alone go anywhere near his nether region but it is of course possible that she got someone else to do it. Had that happened, it's certainly something the regiment might have adopted as a 'Royal favour'.

I grew up with this as a truism but I've never seen any proof.