Prince Charles & Camilla In Kilts
(IN PHOTO) Britain's Prince Charles and his wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, leave Crathie Church at Balmoral in Scotland, after attending a service on their first wedding anniversary, April 9, 2006. Reuters

Scottish barmen and Highland soldiers are keeping up with the times insofar as the kilt is concerned, so should the future king of Britain likewise follow? Wearing undergarments under his kilt spared a Highland soldier who collapsed from exposing the “family jewels” to the Queen.

The Telegraph reports that Queen Elizabeth was attending the Order of the Thistle ceremony on Thursday at St Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh when one Highland soldier collapsed. A clarinetist with the Band of the Royal Regiment of Scotland, the soldier fell to the ground outside the cathedral’s front door.

Fortunately for the chap, he opted not to follow Scottish tradition of not wearing any underwear while in kilts. A photo published by The Telegraph showed the clarinetist was wearing stripy blue jersey boxers under his kilt.

Three soldiers helped the fallen soldier after he slumped on the ground to stand up, but he fell down the second time and was helped away. The Queen, who was with other royal members of the Order of Thistle – the greatest order of chivalry in Scotland – were inside the church so they did not witness the fainting episode.

The Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh, the Duke of Cambridge and the Princess Royal watched a trumpet fanfare which started the event and then joined a procession through the cathedral leading to the Thistle Chapel.

In 2008, Prince Charles was still following Scottish tradition and had to hold his kilt to prevent exposing the “royal jewels” while attending the Mey Highland Games in Scotland. While the prince was red faced. His wife, Camilla, was bursting in laughter over the situation.

According to Daily Mail, the kilts were retired in 1940 as part of the Scottish military uniform to avoid exposing their skin to chemical weapons. In recent years, the tradition of going commando while wearing kilts has been criticised. In 2010, Brian Wilton, director of the Scottish Tartans Authority, called the tradition of not wearing undergarments “childish and unhygienic.”

But male Scottish employees at the Hootanny pub in Inverness have gone one step ahead and ditched the tartan skirt by wearing trousers – and presumably boxers or briefs inside – to work. The reason for the change it to avoid sexual harassment because while carrying trays of food or drinks, some female customers lift their skirts to check if they were wearing anything under the kilt.

VIDEO: Scottish kilts: find out what’s under!