Balmoral welcomes Zara, Mike and Phillips family

King Charles and Queen Camilla’s Annual Scottish Retreat Officially Kicks Off as Royal Family Descend on Balmoral Castle King Charles was officially welcomed to his beloved Scottish summer home on Saturday as he arrived at Balmoral Castle.

The official summer retreat for the Royal Family officially began as he was greeted with a Guard of Honour and a band on the Aberdeenshire estate where his family joined him, including his daughter Princess Anne, Zara and Mike Tindall, along with their children Mia (12), Lena (8) and Lucas (5), as well as Peter Phillips and his girlfriend Harriet and his daughters Savannah (15) and Isla (13).

The two estate workers from the 50,000-acre property stood guard at Balmoral’s main gates during King Charles’ arrival to show the King formally welcomed to his official Scottish residence By wearing the newly re-established Balmoral Highlanders uniform.

The unit, originally established during the Victorian era when Queen Victoria was on the throne, was disbanded in 1936 by King George V, which was during his son George VI – his first born and Queen Elizabeth II’s father’s reign.

The revived Highlanders carried Lochaber Axes and wore the Balmoral Glen Gelder tartan, which the king commissioned through The Scottish Tartans Authority, and the new regiment will take part in proceedings at the iconic Braemar Gathering in September. King Charles has kept busy in Scotland prior to the family trip.

The monarch has already taken part in a range of events, including attending the Mey Highland Games at John O’Groats and the opening of a restored mill distillery in Castletown.

This year’s trip to the 50,000-acre state will see several royals join King Charles and Queen Camilla, including the Prince and Princess of Wales and the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, during their summer break.

In addition to attending patron duties for the Aberdeen-Angus Cattle Society at Ballindalloch Castle in Speyside on Thursday and meeting the Assynt Mountain Rescue team on Friday, the royal couple have already enjoyed some downtime.

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While the King was busy in Scotland, Queen Camilla enjoyed time in Ballater with her sister, Annabel Elliot, her daughter Laura Lopes and her granddaughter Eliza before flying to Yorkshire for the Ebor Festival.