Great Scot! King Charles is all smiles as he wears his favourite kilt to attend his first Highland Games since becoming monarch
- The monarch, 74, happily nursed a glass of whiskey as he watched the events
- Read More: Hands on mum! Zara Tindall enjoys fun-filled afternoon with her children Lena and Lucas at Festival of British Eventing
King Charles appeared in high spirits this afternoon as he attended his first Mey Highland Games since becoming monarch.
The royal, 74, sported a kilt in the Prince Charles Edward Stewart tartan, to attend the annual event in the village of John O’Groats, in Wick.
The monarch paired the traditional kilt with a green tweed jacket and matching waistcoat and some thick red woollen socks.
As he arrived for the event, the King – who was holding a crook used to herd sheep – took the time to shake hands with members of the public.
After this, Charles took his seat in the front row of the marquee to watch the contest – which dates back over 900 years – get underway.
King Charles pictured happily shaking hands with members of the public as he arrived at the Highland Games in Wick this afternoon
Once seated in the Royal Box, King Charles -who was presented with Scotland’s ancient symbols of power in a historic thanksgiving service last month – put on his sunglasses and happily sipped a glass of whiskey as he watched some of the traditional dances.
The Prince Charles Edward Stewart tartan is a variation on the Royal Stewart tartan, which traces its origins back to the House of Stewart, according to the Scottish Register of Tartans.
King Charles has been pictured wearing the tartan several times over the years – including to stand vigil around the Queen’s coffin in September 2022.
There are over 60 Highland Games in Scotland every year – but the Braemar Gathering, which is held every September, was a particular highlight for the late Queen.
Last year, Her Majesty was unable to attend the event due to ill health – meaning Charles had to step in for his mother at the last minute.
Earlier this week, King Charles opened the the eco-friendly local business 8 Doors Distillery in nearby Wick.
Charles is spending the first week of August at the Castle of Mey in Caithness, the former home of his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, before being joined at Birkhall by his wife.
Palace sources told the Daily Mail this week that there are no plans to mark the one-year anniversary of the Queen’s passing on 8 September.
The monarch, 74, seen sitting in the Royal Box and watching a traditional dance before the games got underway
King Charles happily nursed a glass of whiskey and kept hold of his crook, which is used to herd sheep
The monarch paired the traditional kilt with a green tweed jacket and matching waistcoat and some thick red woollen socks
King Charles put on a pair of sunglasses as the weather took a turn for the better in Wick this afternoon
King Charles pictured watching The Highland Games with his late mother Queen Elizabeth in September 2010
His Majesty is expected to spend the day quietly reflecting on the moment at Birkhall, his home on the Balmoral estate.
While various members of the family will have come and gone from Balmoral for summer holidays in the usual way, Their Majesties will be spending September 8 ‘quietly and privately’, as Queen Elizabeth used to do on anniversary of her father’s death, they stressed.
Queen Elizabeth would always spend the anniversary of her late father King George VI’s death privately at Sandringham.
Among the extended Windsor clan who are due to stay at Balmoral this year are the Prince and Princess of Wales with George, Charlotte and Louis; the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh and their teenage children, Louise and James; Princess Anne and her husband Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence, along with her son Peter Phillips and daughter Zara Tindall, both with their broods; and Charles’s cousin, Lady Sarah Chatto.
The beleaguered Duke of York will also be spending time up there with his daughters, Princess Beatrice and Eugenie, and their young families.
However, there are practical difficulties to admitting the public to Balmoral – as sources say it is a fairly ‘fragile’ building despite its solid appearance, with little in the way of public conveniences and it needs updating.
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