King Charles and Queen Camilla visited a village in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, to thank the community for their support following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
On Tuesday, 11 October, the King and Queen arrived in Ballater, where they held a series of engagements, including a reception with the riders and horses that lined the route along which Her Late Majesty’s coffin was carried.
The village is less than eight miles from Balmoral Castle, where Queen Elizabeth II passed away peacefully at 3:10 pm on Thursday, 8 September.
Hundreds of people were involved in organising all the events that followed the death of the former monarch, not to mention the tens of thousands of people who lined up to pay their last respects in the hours in which her body lay in St Giles Cathedral.
Standing next to the riders and their horses were volunteers who helped during the national mourning days and council workers. One of the farmers that was part of the tribute explained that the decision to pay that tribute was made “quickly” and that everything fell into place after just a few phone calls.
Among the crowds assembled in front of the building was a group of children from various schools in the area. One of them, Brodie Wynne from Crathie School, told the press that he had the chance to speak with Queen Camilla about his dogs and ferrets.
As it has been evident for many decades, animals play a huge role in the lives of the British Royal Family, as does the countryside, so it was extremely poignant for the local rural community to come together with their tractors and their horses, and accompany Queen Elizabeth II in her last journey away from the place she so loved.
King Charles and Queen Camilla have been conducting several engagements all around the four countries of the United Kingdom since becoming sovereign and consort; they will be hosting their first State Visit next month in London.
Their coronation has been announced for Saturday, 6 May 2023.
