King Charles and Queen Camilla Attend Braemar Highland Games for Third Time Since Coronation

King Charles III and Queen Camilla joined cheering crowds on Saturday at the annual Braemar Gathering in Royal Deeside, the Scottish Highlands, in what has become one of the most anticipated events on the royal calendar. This is the third Braemar Gathering the King has attended since his coronation.

The King's tartan

As he always does when staying in Scotland, the King wore a kilt — the King Charles III tartan, which he first unveiled on Burns Night last year. The tartan is based on the Balmoral tartan sett — or pattern — which dates back to approximately 1850. Nearby Balmoral Castle is the royal family's traditional Scottish summer residence.

Queen Camilla was also dressed in tartan, complemented by the emerald green jacket and feathered hat she had previously worn to a Sunday service at Crathie Kirk. Both monarchs appeared in high spirits as they arrived, cheered by spectators who travel from around the world to attend the gathering.

The events

Among the events watched by the royal couple and thousands of spectators were tug-of-war, caber tossing, hammer throwing, Highland dancing, and a parade of pipe bands. The Braemar Gathering is one of the oldest and most famous Highland Games events in the world and takes place on the first Saturday of September each year.

A tradition since Queen Victoria

Braemar has hosted the Games in their current form for nearly 200 years. Queen Victoria attended in 1848, and since then the reigning monarch has attended regularly. The gathering coincides with the monarch's annual summer holiday at Balmoral, making it a natural fixture in the royal schedule.

The Braemar Royal Highland Charitable Society, which organises the event, described this year's gathering as a celebration of Scottish culture and heritage attended by visitors from across the globe. The event draws competitors and spectators from across Scotland, the United Kingdom, and internationally.