The King has arrived at Balmoral for his summer break, marked by a ceremony where he patted a Shetland pony mascot. Charles was welcomed by a guard of honour provided by Balaklava Company, 5th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland, outside the gates of Balmoral, Aberdeenshire, on Tuesday.
Inspection and Pony Meeting
As Colonel in Chief of The Royal Regiment of Scotland, Charles carried out an inspection of the company. He met Corporal Cruachan IV, the Shetland pony mascot of the regiment, who was on parade with his handler Corporal Rory Stewart.
Following the ceremony, the King met members of the public who had gathered near the gates to see him.
Officer's Comments
Major Tommy Blair, in his second year commanding Balaklava Company, said: “Welcoming His Majesty the King to Balmoral is a huge privilege for Balaklava Company.
“While Balaklava has a huge amount of ceremonial experience in Scotland and the wider UK, we have welcomed a number of new soldiers to the company in the past year and, for some, this was their first encounter with our Colonel in Chief.
“The standard of turnout and ceremony on show today reflects the many hours of dedicated preparation that all ranks in the company have put into marking this very special occasion.”
Musical Support and Guard Duty
Musical support came from the pipes, drums and bugles of the 2nd Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland, led by drum major Sergeant William Crawford and pipe major Colour Sergeant Joe Davies.
C/Sgt Davies said: “It’s always a privilege to perform for the arrival of His Majesty the King, and this year was particularly special for me as it was my first time leading the 2 SCOTS pipes, drums and bugles.
“I’ve had the honour of taking part in this ceremony a number of times throughout my career, but leading the band made it an especially memorable experience.”
Balaklava Company took up royal guard in July and will remain at Balmoral until October.
