King Charles and Queen Camilla attended the Braemar Gathering King Charles is patron of on Saturday, joining cheering crowds in Royal Deeside for one of the Scottish calendar’s most enduring traditions.
The couple watched events including tug-of-war, caber tossing, hammer throwing, Highland dancing and a parade of pipe bands at the annual gathering, held on the first Saturday of September. It is the third Braemar Gathering King Charles has attended since his coronation.
A royal tradition stretching back nearly 200 years
Braemar has hosted the Games in its current form for nearly 200 years. Queen Victoria attended in 1848, and the reigning monarch has attended regularly ever since. The event coincides with the monarch’s annual summer holiday at nearby Balmoral, making it a fixture in the royal schedule each September.
The gathering draws spectators from around the world to Royal Deeside, combining athletic competition with music and pageantry rooted in Scottish Highland culture.
Braemar Gathering King Charles patronage and royal dress
As patron of the Braemar Gathering, according to Braemar Scotland, the King has a formal connection to the event beyond his role as monarch. His attendance on Saturday continued a pattern set by his predecessors and reinforced by his own appearances since taking the throne.
As he always does when staying in Scotland, the King wore a kilt. The garment is made from the King Charles III tartan, based on the Balmoral tartan sett, or pattern, which dates back to about 1850. He first unveiled the kilt on Burns Night last year.
Queen Camilla also dressed in tartan, pairing it with the emerald green jacket and feathered hat she wore to a Sunday service at Crathie Kirk last year. The coordinated appearance drew attention from the crowds gathered along the course.
The Royal Family has long used the Braemar Gathering as a public-facing moment during the Balmoral stay, with the monarch’s presence lending the event a visibility that few local gatherings in Scotland can match. Victoria’s attendance in 1848 effectively cemented that association, and successive monarchs have maintained it.
Saturday’s event followed the same format that has defined the gathering for generations: heavy athletic events contested by competitors in full Highland dress, dancing competitions judged to strict traditional standards, and massed pipe bands processing across the ground. Tug-of-war, among the most watched events, drew vocal support from the stands.
The King’s choice of the King Charles III tartan, rather than the Balmoral tartan in its original form, reflects a distinction introduced at the start of the reign. The Balmoral sett dates to around 1850 and has been closely associated with the royal estate; the new tartan is described as based on that pattern. The King has worn it consistently during Scottish engagements.
Queen Camilla’s outfit, previously seen at Crathie Kirk, was worn again to the gathering, maintaining continuity with appearances from the previous year’s Scottish schedule.
The Braemar Gathering continues to draw international visitors each September, with Saturday’s event bringing together competitors and spectators for what is one of the longest-running Highland games in Scotland.
