&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "King Charles’ summer break begins: The Royal arrives at Balmoral Castle for traditional retreat")
The summer retreat for Britain's monarch has now started. On August 18 (Tuesday), King Charles III arrived at Balmoral Castle in Scotland, marking the beginning of his traditional late-summer holiday. This annual royal retreat allows the monarch to take a break from official duties and spend time at the historic Scottish estate, continuing a tradition that the British royal family has followed for many years.
King Charles arrives at Balmoral Castle
The royal family's summer holiday has now begun. On August 18 (Tuesday), King Charles arrived at Balmoral Castle in the Scottish Highlands, an estate that has long served as a late-summer retreat for members of the royal family. It is expected that the monarch will remain at the iconic castle for a break from public duties until September 2026.
The King was welcomed by local people, members of the Royal Regiment of Scotland, and one of the famous Shetland pony mascots, Corporal Cruachan IV, along with his handler, Cpl Rory Stewart. During his inspection of the battalion, the King greeted the pony and its handler.
Welcoming His Majesty, Major Tommy Blair, who is in his second year as commander of Balaklava Company, took a stance and said, “It is a great honour for Balaklava Company to welcome His Majesty the King to Balmoral.” He further said that while the company has extensive ceremonial experience across Scotland and the UK, several new soldiers had recently joined the ranks. For some of them, it was their first opportunity to meet their colonel-in-chief.
"The quality of the turnout and ceremony today reflects the many hours of dedicated preparation that all ranks in the company have put into marking this very special occasion," he concluded.
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The grand event also featured musical performances by the pipes, drums, and bugles of the 2nd Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland, led by Drum Major Sgt William Crawford and Pipe Major Col Sgt Joe Davies.
Davies commented on the significance of the occasion, saying, "It's always an honour to perform for His Majesty the King's arrival, and this year was especially special for me because it was my first time leading the 2 SCOTS pipes, drums, and bugles."
He added that "I have had the honour of taking part in this ceremony on several occasions throughout my career, but leading the band made it an especially memorable experience."
Following the ceremony, the king met and greeted the public, who had gathered near the gates and waited for hours to see him.
