The King has been spotted wearing his traditional Scottish kilt in a recent photograph as he commences his summer holiday in Scotland to pay tribute to his grandmother.
During the initial week of August, Charles is staying at the Castle and Gardens of Mey in Caithness, located in the northern region of Scotland, which coincides with the celebration of the Queen Mother’s birthday. While there, he planted a rose named the King’s Rose, developed by David Austin Roses in collaboration with The King’s Foundation in his honor. This rose was placed in the castle’s Diamond Jubilee Rose Garden.
Adding to the landscape are two sycamore trees at the castle’s entrance that were planted by Charles and Queen Camilla back in 2005 when they were known as the Duke and Duchess of Rothesay in Scotland.
The King’s Rose has also been introduced at other sites managed by The King’s Foundation, namely Dumfries House in East Ayrshire and Highgrove Gardens in Gloucestershire.
The Castle and Gardens of Mey, a cherished residence of the Queen Mother, was acquired by her in 1952. Traditionally, she spent three weeks at the castle every August, a tradition that the King, who has been visiting since a young age, continues to honor.
Currently under the management of The King’s Foundation, which oversees various significant green spaces for the King, the Castle and Gardens of Mey will be open to the public for tours starting Wednesday, August 12.
In recent days, the King hosted a reception for Scottish mountain rescue volunteers at the Castle of Mey, where he recounted his survival story from a deadly avalanche nearly four decades ago.
A group of 40 Assynt Mountain Rescue Team members were present at the reception, where the King shared his experience of surviving an avalanche in 1988 that claimed the life of his close friend, Major Hugh Lindsay, a former equerry to the late Queen Elizabeth, and injured another individual on the Swiss ski slopes.
Furthermore, during the same period, Charles attended the Mey Highland Games and was seen enjoying a glass of whiskey at the event.
Dressed in his customary kilt, the King mingled with spectators and participants at the Caithness event last Saturday. Since 2002, Charles has held the title of Chieftain at the Mey Highland Games, taking over from his grandmother, the late Queen Mother.
Witnessing the athletes engage in the traditional tug o’ war, Charles congratulated a group of firefighters who emerged victorious in the competition.
Among the various groups Charles met were the Wounded Highlanders, a team of injured military veterans who regularly participate in adaptive competitions at the Mey Highland Games. This annual event is held at the John O’Groats showground on the first Saturday of August each year.
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