King brings back Balmoral’s traditional men-at-arms after 90 years
King brings back Balmoral’s traditional men-at-arms after 90 years
India McTaggartTue, August 18, 2026 at 11:30 AM UTC
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King Charles III meets Cpl Cruachan IV, a Shetland pony who is mascot of the Royal Regiment of Scotland, during an inspection of the Balaklava Company at Balmoral - Jane Barlow/PA Wire
The King has been welcomed to Balmoral for his summer residence by Highland men-at-arms after reinstating the group which was disbanded 90 years ago.
A guard of honour met the monarch as he reached the Royal family’s Scottish home and he was welcomed by the Balaklava Company, the 5th Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland, in a formal ceremony.
As part of the ceremony, the first two members of the newly revived group were positioned outside the castle’s front gate.
The King reestablished the group decades after its disbandment in 1936 under his great-grandfather, George V.
Both new Highlanders, who wear a uniform that takes inspiration from the original kilts worn in the late 1800s, are employees of His Majesty’s Balmoral estate. They will both also take part in the Braemar Gathering next month.
The King has already had a busy schedule in Scotland throughout the start of August.
He has attended the Castle of Mey Games, met with the Assynt Mountain Rescue team as well as with the communities of Halkirk and Castletown, which included opening a distillery in a restored former mill building.
Tuesday’s guard of honour marks the start of the monarch’s summer stay at the Royal family’s beloved Scottish Highlands estate, where Elizabeth II spent her final days in 2022.
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It is tradition for the monarch to inspect the battalion when taking up residence and a ceremony was held for the King as a small crowd observed from behind the gates.
March of the Balmoral Highlanders with their lochaber axes at a 1920s Braemar Gathering - John Torrance/Braemar Local History
The Pipes and Drums of the 2nd Battalion provided the musical accompaniment to the ceremony.
In June, the King wrote in the foreword to a new guidebook that Balmoral holds a “uniquely special place” in the hearts of the Royal family.
Writing in the 80-page paperback titled Balmoral, the monarch said the Scottish estate was a “cherished home” for his family, with “startling individuality” and a “precious, almost sacred, surrounding landscape”.
The 50,000-acre Balmoral estate was purchased by Queen Victoria and her husband, Prince Albert, in 1852 and they went on to build the distinctive castle.
Since then, it has become a favourite summer retreat for the royals, with kings and queens adding their own stamp to the castle and grounds through the decades.
The King wrote: “Since my earliest childhood, it has held, and continues to hold, a uniquely special place in the hearts of my family and myself, and my late mother particularly treasured her time at Balmoral.
“It was here, in these most beloved of surroundings, that she chose to spend her final days.”
In July 2024, the King opened the Aberdeenshire castle to the public for the first time in more than 170 years and made a number of changes to the interior and the gardens.
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
