Hollyroodhouse Palace

Family history is one of my guilty pleasures. I don't invest a great deal of time or energy into studying it, but I hang on every word uttered by those who do. 

Hamilton "Dress" Tartan

Hamilton "Hunting"Tartan

The Hamiltons were so close to being rulers a few times. I won't bore you with all that historical data, at least not this morning, but I will say I learned that Hollyroodhouse Palace in Edinburgh, Scotland is the Queen's residence while she is in Scotland, and my Hamilton "big" Clan Chief Angus Douglas Hamilton carries the Crown Jewels into Parliament when she's there. He takes care of the castle, too.

And as a Hamilton, any time I'm in the neighborhood, all I have to do is knock on the door and I cannot be refused admittance. I also have the right to grab my cousin the 15th Duke of Hamilton by the hand and wish him well. Ah, the honors of being a Hamilton! ;) Only in feudal England/Scotland/Ireland would the right to shake a relative's hand be considered an honor. 

The Hamilton women are reknowned since the beginning of history to be fiery and full of energy. If you understand how understated Scottish history is, knowing our women are thusly characterized gives you a real sense of our spirit. 

The crest shown above labeled "Clan Hamilton" has the caption of "cirean ceann cinnidh" which means Crest of the Clan Head/Chief. (It's a little more complicated than that - it really means just "Chief" but being as how I am a female leader, I cannot be "chief," yet I am head of our immediate Hamilton clan. It's a Scottish thing). All this goes to heraldry conventions, and the Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs requests the words "cirean ceann cinnidh" be displayed with the badge when it is displayed as an image.

I have a lovely pewter version of this badge and wear it proudly on appropriate occasions. ~~GH



[Tomorrow: Waiting]