Quote Originally Posted by kilted scholar View Post
The evidence suggests that in this case the government use postdated the Campbells:
see http://www.tartanregister.gov.uk/tar...s.aspx?ref=502
and http://www.tartansauthority.com/tart.../campbell-clan
From the links you posted. (Emphasis mine)

"The tartan appointed for the Highland Companies in 1725 and later for the Black Watch in 1739 MAY in fact have been worn by the Campbells at an earlier date. There is a STRONG POSSIBILITY that many OTHERS wore the sett or something similar BEFORE the idea of distinctive clan tartans took hold."

So what we see here is diplomatic language acknowledging the controversy, nothing more. Surely there is a strong possibility that any tartan could have coincidentally been worn by "many others" before the idea of distinctive clan tartans took hold. However 1) just because it was possible, doesn't mean there is evidence to support that it occured, and 2) Even if many others wore it, given that they did so before the idea of clan tartans, it would have been a simple fashion decision or what was available from the local weaver and not a clan symbol.

In any case, the Campbells haven't been able to prove this claim but have been caught trying to fabricate evidence of the claim. Nonetheless, to your point, this is the one the Duke likes, so this is the official tartan and most people will probably just accept this very questionable claim as fact over time. Shrewd and crafty, those Campbells...