Outlander Season 6: Who is Bonnie Prince Charlie? Did Flora MacDonald help him escape Scotland? Skye Boat Song explained

Bonnie Prince Charlie, played by Andrew Grover, has made a dramatic return to Outlander Season 6 with the help of one Flora MacDonald. But what do we know about the real Bonnie Prince?
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

Mark me: Bonnie Prince Charlie is back in Outlander!

Andrew Grover reprised his role as the flamboyant character in Season 6 episode 5 ‘Give Me Liberty’.

Now a fugitive, the prince was helped to flee Scotland by Flora MacDonald, played by Shauna MacDonald.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

But who was Bonnie Prince Charlie in real life, was Flora MacDonald a real person, and did he really escape Scotland dressed as a woman? And what is his connection to the Skye Boat Song?

Here’s the true story behind the intriguing Scottish prince.

Who was the real Bonnie Prince Charlie? True story behind Outlander character

Charles Edward Stuart, also known as the Young Pretender and Bonnie Prince Charlie, was a claimant to the throne of Great Britain and Ireland.

Bonnie Prince Charlie played by Andrew Glover in Outlander (Outlander Starz)Bonnie Prince Charlie played by Andrew Glover in Outlander (Outlander Starz)
Bonnie Prince Charlie played by Andrew Glover in Outlander (Outlander Starz)

The eldest son of the exiled James Stuart, and the Catholic grandson of James II of England (James VII of Scotland), Bonnie Prince Charlie played a key role in the Jacobite uprising of 1745.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

His forces were famously defeated by the British army at the Battle of Culloden, a pivotal event which changed the face of Scotland.

In the battle’s aftermath, there was a crackdown on Jacobites and their sympathisers, with many facing imprisonment, persecution and execution.

The English were back in control of Scotland, and the Act of Proscription in 1746 outlawed the playing of bagpipes, clan tartans, and speaking Gaelic.

Actress Shauna MacDonald plays Flora MacDonald in Outlander Season 6 (Outlander Starz)Actress Shauna MacDonald plays Flora MacDonald in Outlander Season 6 (Outlander Starz)
Actress Shauna MacDonald plays Flora MacDonald in Outlander Season 6 (Outlander Starz)

How did Bonnie Prince Charlie escape Scotland? Did Flora MacDonald help?

Bonnie Prince Charlie survived the Battle of Culloden and fled to the western coast of Scotland, assisted by his loyal supporters.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

From Arisaig, the prince sailed to the Outer Hebrides, hopping from Benbecula to Harris and Stornaway, before arriving on the Isle of Skye.

It was at Skye that Flora MacDonald disguised him as an Irish maid named Betty Burke – though it’s said another companion told him to remove the outfit as it was too conspicuous.

The prince travelled on to the Scottish isle of Raasay and eventually made his way to France.

Origins of the Outlander Skye Boat song explained

This is where history gets even more interesting. The Skye Boat song which we’ve grown so used to listening to at Outlander’s theme is actually about Bonnie Prince Charlie.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The song was written by Sir Harold Boulton and Anne Campbelle MacLeod in the 1870s to commemorate the Prince’s journey after the Battle of Culloden.

It was adapted by Robert Louis Stevenson to the lyrics we know today: “Sing me a song of a lad that is gone,

“Say, could that lad be I? Merry of soul he sailed on a day, over the sea to Skye.”

This is most likely why the Outlander theme song has reverted the lyrics back to a “lad” rather than “lass” for Season 6.

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.