King Charles and Queen Camilla attended a Sunday church service at Crathie Kirk on the Balmoral estate in Aberdeenshire on 18 January. The King, 77, was seen travelling in a black Range Rover, with the Queen, 78, in the front passenger seat. She was all smiles upon arrival, wearing a winter coat and furry hat.
The outing comes as the Balmoral official Instagram account announced that tickets to visit Balmoral Castle in spring and summer 2026 are now available to book online. It is the first time Charles has been spotted at Balmoral in 2026, having spent Christmas and the remaining days of 2025 at his Sandringham estate in Norfolk.
The King's Scottish getaway falls ahead of Prince Harry's return to the UK for his trial against Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL), the publisher of The Daily Mail. The High Court case is reportedly scheduled to begin on 19 January. However, father and son are not expected to reunite in person during Harry's stay, as Charles is set to spend much of this month in Scotland.
Despite past difficulties, the pair are said to be in regular contact. However, The Telegraph reported that royal sources acknowledged Charles did not wish to be linked to any court proceedings, so will give his son a wide berth during his visit.
