King Charles welcomed to Balmoral Castle as official ceremony marked with unusual twist
King Charles has attended the formal arrival ceremony at Balmoral Castle this morning.
King Charles III meets Shetland pony Cpl Cruachan IV the mascot of the Royal Regiment of Scotland (Image: Jane Barlow/PA Wire Picture date: Tuesday August 18, 2026. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Jane )
King Charles has been officially welcomed to Balmoral Castle with a small ceremony outside the Castle gates. A display of pageantry greeted the monarch as he marked the start of his annual summer break in Scotland, with a new special touch added to the traditional ceremony.
The King, who is Colonel in Chief of the Royal Regiment of Scotland, was welcomed by a Guard of Honour provided by the Balaklava Company, 5th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland. The short ceremony included a performance from the Pipes and Drums of the 2nd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland (2 SCOTS).
For the first time this year, the first two members of the revived Balmoral Highlanders, something the King has re-established following its disbandment in 1936, were stationed outside the Castle’s gates.
King Charles III meets members of the public (Image: Jane Barlow/PA Wire Picture date: Tuesday August 18, 2026. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Jane)
Both the new Highlanders are employees of the Balmoral Estate and will also take part in the Braemar Gathering in September.
In keeping with tradition, each Highlander carries a ceremonial Lochaber Axe and wears a Highland uniform which takes inspiration from the original uniform worn in the late 1800s.
The kilt and plaid are made from the Balmoral Glen Gelder tartan, which was designed by The Scottish Tartans Authority at the request of His Majesty.
During the ceremony, the King met the pony, Corporal Cruachan IV – mascot of The Royal Regiment of Scotland – who was on parade with his handler, Corporal Rory Stewart.
Today’s ceremony marks the start of the King and Queen’s official stay in Aberdeenshire, where they are expected to stay until the end of September.
King Charles meets the mascot during the ceremony (Image: Jane Barlow/PA Wire Picture date: Tuesday August 18, 2026. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Jane )
King Charles is wearing a kilt for the ceremony (Image: Jane Barlow/PA Wire Picture date: Tuesday August 18, 2026. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Jane)
While the King has eased up his workload slightly in recent weeks, he has continued to undertake engagements in Scotland during his summer holiday.
Charles attended the Castle of Mey Games, met the Assynt Mountain Rescue team, and engaged with the communities of Halkirk and Castletown, including opening a distillery housed in a restored former mill.
Yesterday, the Queen was pictured out shopping in nearby Ballater with her sister, daughter, and grandchildren.
