King Charles Kicks Off Cherished Summer Tradition With Rarely Seen Royal by His Side

As the monarch returned to Scotland for his annual summer break, he was accompanied by a rarely seen royal.

King Charles has once again embraced one of the Royal Family's most cherished summer traditions, and this year's outing came with a surprise guest. As the monarch returned to Scotland for his annual summer break, he was accompanied by a rarely seen royal whose appearance caught the attention of royal fans. While the day was filled with long-standing Highland customs, the low-key family moment added a special touch to the occasion.

Charles kicked off his annual summer stay in Scotland by attending the Mey Highland Games on Saturday. As part of royal custom, Charles begins the first part of August at his private home, the Castle of Mey, before later moving to Balmoral Castle, the Royal Family's official summer residence. Dressed in his traditional Scottish kilt, the King spent the afternoon at the John O'Groats showground in Caithness, near the northernmost point of mainland Scotland.

After the event, the monarch was seen leaving with his first cousin, Lady Sarah Chatto, the daughter of Princess Margaret. Sarah is known for staying out of the spotlight, but behind palace doors, the cousins reportedly share a close bond.

Earlier this year, Sarah joined the King and Prince Edward at several notable events, including the centenary of Queen Elizabeth's birth in April, and was also present at Peter Phillips' wedding to Harriet Sperling in June. Additionally, she was seen riding in the Royal Ascot carriage procession, and later presented a trophy during the famous race meeting. She was also spotted in the Royal Box at Wimbledon in July alongside her husband, Daniel Chatto.

The Mey Highland Games have deep ties to the Royal Family. The event was first held in 1970 to celebrate the Queen Mother's 70th birthday, which she attended as the guest of honor. Since then, it has become an annual tradition, attracting around 2,000 spectators every year on the first Saturday of August. King Charles has served as Chieftain of the games since 2002, taking over the role from his late mother. The event celebrates Scottish culture through traditional sports, music and performances, making it one of the highlights of the King's summer calendar. 

During this year's games, the King watched several classic Highland events, including the famous caber toss, where competitors flip a large tree trunk end over end. He also enjoyed performances by Scottish dancers and pipe bands, met members of the Wounded Highlanders group, which supports injured military veterans through adaptive sporting activities, and congratulated a team of firefighters after they won the tug of war. At one point, Charles was also seen relaxing with a dram of whisky alongside Lord John Thurso.