The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Regimental parade kicks off weekend of festivities
Atholl Highlanders lead the way before Highland games take place
The traditional Atholl Highlanders parade kicked off a weekend of festivities at the annual Atholl Gathering on Saturday.
The Atholl Highlanders are the private army of Blair Castle and are the only remaining private regiment in Europe.
Before Saturday’s parade, castle archivist Keren Guthrie and Atholl Highlander CSM Geoff Crerar gave a talk on the regiment’s history, explaining how Queen Victoria granted the regiment its colours for acting as her guard on visits to Scotland.
The regiment was originally raised in 1777 as relief for other British regiments fighting in the American War of Independence and it was disbanded in 1883.
However, George Murray, the 6th Duke of Atholl, reformed the regiment in 1837 and it acted as a bodyguard to Queen Victoria during her tour of Perthshire in 1842 and when she visited Blair Castle two years later.
During the parade, the regiment was inspected by Scotland Office minister Lord Duncan of Springbank.
The regiment comprises men who live or work on the estate and will shortly be going on a European tour, visiting Waterloo, Menin Gate, Thiepval and St Valery.
Lord Duncan presented cheques on behalf of the regiment to the Brittle Bone Society and Pitlochry Scouts.
Yesterday, the Highlanders officially opened the Atholl Gathering, with a “march on” led by their pipes and drums.
The gathering included a Highland games, formally opened by Michael Murray, Marquis of Tullibardine, which saw entrants compete in a host of traditional events.