During the Royal Family’s summer break at their Highland home, it has been revealed King Charles and Queen Camilla held a low-key concert at Balmoral Castle. The Court Circular, which records all of the Firm’s official activities, shares that Charles and Camilla “held a concert of music that was performed at the 2023 Honours of Scotland Service” on Thursday evening.
The entry adds that Prince Edward and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, and the Princess Royal and Vice-Admiral Sir Tim Laurence were also in attendance. However, as of yet, no images have been released by Buckingham Palace of the private occasion. The 2023 Honours of Scotland service took place on 5 July 2023 at St Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh, as a celebration of the King’s Coronation.
During which, Charles was presented with symbols of his authority in Scotland and songs were sung in Gaelic and local dialects, and Scottish musicians performed. The Prince and Princess of Wales, also attended the service, with Charles, Camilla and William dressed in ceremonial robes.
Princess Kate and Prince William were seen attending church at Crathie Kirk with their three children last Sunday, alongside the King and Queen, but it is possible that the Wales family has now headed home to Windsor ahead of the start of the new school year.
Balmoral Estate, which includes grouse moors, forestry and farmland, allows the King and his relatives to really relax away from the public eye.
The Windsors are known to enjoy hikes, bike rides, picnics, barbecues and fishing while staying at the Castle.
Queen Elizabeth II’s former press secretary Ailsa Anderson, who often accompanied the late monarch, previously told Hello! Magazine: “The whole royal family has a huge love of Scotland, and Balmoral is somewhere they can just be normal people for a while. The Queen had a love affair with Balmoral from the time she was born, and it was a place where she could really be herself.”
Before her death, at the end of every summer, Queen Elizabeth made her annual pilgrimage north to Scotland. Balmoral Castle is also where she passed away on September 8, 2022, and her coffin departed the estate on September 11, as it began its final journey back to London and then to Windsor Castle.
King Charles has followed in his mother’s footsteps, spending summers at Balmoral.
The first home at Balmoral was reportedly built in 1390, but the property didn’t enter into the Royal Family until 1852, when Prince Albert purchased the estate as a gift for his wife, Queen Victoria, who loved the Scottish countryside.
When the residence was thought to be too small, the royal couple built an additional castle, the one that still exists today, to fit their growing family. The new structure was completed in 1856, and the other building was torn down.