ONE’S HIGH FIVE
Prince down with the kids as he greets schoolchildren
PRINCE Charles swapped the regal wave for enthusiastic high fives yesterday as he ended his summer holiday in Scotland with a visit to church.
He exchanged the modern greeting with 18 pupils from Crossroads Primary in Caithness after attending a service at Canisbay Kirk.
However, the Queen stuck to tradition with a regal wave as she attended a service at Crathie Kirk near the Balmoral Estate yesterday.
The Royal family usually spend the summer in Scotland, with the Queen normally joined by Prince Philip at Balmoral on Royal Deeside. Charles, Duke of Rothesay, flits between the estate and Caithness, where the late Queen Mother holidayed.
On Saturday, the prince had been on patron duties at the Mey Games, where he oversaw an initiative set up by his charitable foundation to encourage youngsters to get involved in Highland games.
Youngsters visiting the games were encouraged to toss the caber, albeit a mini-caber. The scheme, established by Charles’s charity The Prince’s Foundation, aims to ensure the traditions of Highland games are not lost to future generations.
Dressed in a kilt in the Rothesay tartan, he also watched the first Para Highland Games to be held north of the Border.
Disabled athletes from around the world had travelled to John o’ Groats in Caithness to take part along with Invictus heroes, friends and former comrades of Prince Harry.
The Prince, a keen supporter of the event, delighted in watching the competition and umpired the tug of war won by the staff team of Help For Heroes.
Sixty para athletes travelled from the US, Australia and France as well as all over the UK to take part.