The Queen is officially welcomed back to Balmoral

The Queen has been officially welcomed back to her summer home in Scotland, Balmoral Castle. Elizabeth II took part in the traditional ceremonial welcome which included the inspection of the Balaklava Company, and 5 Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland at the gates of the castle.

The Monarch also enjoyed another meeting with the company’s mascot, a Shetland Pony named Cruachan IV, ,who has been far from well behaved on previous encounters. In 2018, the pony decided to relieve itself just as the royal guest approached causing The Queen to turn away. A year earlier, in 2017, Cruachan IV opted to have his lunch during his royal encounter, taking a nibble of the bouquet of flowers held by The Queen. Upon seeing the pony at the 2021 ceremony, Her Majesty, a fan of horses, quipped “here we are again.”

While she headed north from Windsor Castle for Balmoral last month, the ceremony on August 9th 2021 marked the official start of her stay at the Scottish estate. This will mark the first summer holiday The Queen will spend without her husband, Prince Philip, who died in April at the age of 99. The Queen visited Balmoral last year as scheduled but there was no ceremony because of the global health crisis.

While it’s her summer vacation, The Queen will still continue her work, reading her diplomatic papers in the famous “red boxes” that are delivered daily. She also will hold audiences between visits from other members of her family.

For more than 150 years, the Scottish castle has served as a private retreat for British royals. Located in the Scottish Highlands, the royals typically hold dances, picnics, and go on shooting parties while staying there. The property has been in the royal family since 1845 when Queen Victoria’s husband, Prince Albert purchased the castle and the surrounding 7,000-acre estate.