King Charles will officially begin his annual summer break at Balmoral today as he takes part in a special arrival ceremony at the Scottish royal residence.
The King will be welcomed by a Guard of Honour from the Balaklava Company, 5th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland, at the castle.
Charles serves as Colonel-in-Chief of the regiment, while the Pipes and Drums of the 2nd Battalion will provide musical accompaniment during the ceremony.
The occasion marks the monarch’s formal arrival at Balmoral as he begins his traditional summer stay at the Aberdeenshire estate.
Charles has already spent much of August in Scotland, maintaining a busy programme of engagements during his time north of the border.
The King has attended the Castle of Mey Games and visited the Assynt Mountain Rescue team, as well as spending time in Halkirk and Castletown.
He also opened a distillery housed in a restored former mill building during his Scottish tour.
This year’s Balmoral arrival ceremony will also feature a particularly historic addition, with the first two members of the newly revived Balmoral Highlanders positioned outside the castle’s front gate.
The King personally re-established the Balmoral Highlanders, reviving a group that had been dissolved in 1936 during the reign of his great-grandfather, King George V.
Both of the inaugural Highlanders work on the Balmoral Estate and are expected to take part in the Braemar Gathering later in September.
The Highlanders will carry ceremonial Lochaber axes, reflecting the traditions associated with their historic role.
Their Highland dress has also been designed with history in mind, drawing inspiration from the uniforms worn by the original Balmoral Highlanders in the late nineteenth century.
The kilts and plaids feature the Balmoral Glen Gelder tartan, which was created by the Scottish Tartans Authority at the King’s request.
The revival of the Highlanders is part of Charles’s wider interest in preserving and restoring traditions associated with the Balmoral Estate.
The King is expected to spend the coming weeks at Balmoral, where members of the Royal Family traditionally join him for private time at the Scottish residence.
