King Charles welcomed to Balmoral by 'guard of honour' for his summer break
Balmoral Castle was recently forced to close its doors to the public due to storm warnings
King Charles has arrived at his Balmoral estate where he’s expected to spend some weeks there for a summer break.
The royal family’s Instagram page announced on Monday that the king, 76, has arrived at Balmoral, where he was “welcomed by a Guard of Honour”.
It has become a tradition for the monarch to spend some time on the Balmoral estate over the summer. Queen Elizabeth II used to follow the tradition, spending family time on the Scottish estate before returning to duties in September.
King Charles arrives at Balmoral for summer break
In a post shared to Instagram on Monday, the royal family page said: “The king has arrived at Balmoral Castle where he was welcomed by a Guard of Honour held by Balaklava Company, 5th Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland.
“His Majesty met the mascot of the Regiment: a Shetland pony called Corporal Cruachan IV.
“The king’s arrival continues the long tradition of Monarchs spending their summers at Balmoral, which began with Queen Victoria and Prince Albert in the mid-1800s.”
Earlier this month, Balmoral Castle, closed its gates to the public following severe weather warnings.
On August 4, Balmoral Castle announced that it would shut its doors for the day due to Storm Floris.
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King Charles’ Balmoral Castle closes to visitors
“Balmoral will be closed to the public today, Monday 4th August, due to Storm Floris,” read the official statement posted to Instagram. “Please do not travel to the Estate. We will be issuing refunds for tickets to visit today. Stay safe, everyone.”
The UK’s Met Office issued amber and yellow warnings for wind across the region on August 4.
The forecast predicted gusts of 50 to 70 mph in many areas.
“Storm Floris will bring a spell of unusually strong west or northwesterly winds to much of Scotland during Monday,” the Met Office stated.
Visitors to Balmoral Castle
The estate opened on April 1. Visitors had access to its gardens, grounds, exhibitions, and, for the first time last year, inside part of the historic castle itself.
Please do not travel to the Estate.
Located in Aberdeenshire, Balmoral Castle has served as a beloved summer retreat for the royal family since the reign of Queen Victoria.
Victoria famously described the residence as “my dear paradise in the Highlands”.
King Charles has upheld the tradition. The king often spends late summer on the grounds. However, he prefers staying at Birkhall, his private home located within the estate.
The king and Queen Camilla spent their honeymoon at the home in 2005.
Read more: Prince Andrew receives ‘reminder from King Charles’ amid scandal
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