One’s royal chauffeur! How Kate took to the hills with Her Majesty at the wheel...
...while Wills had to settle for driving himself
SHE may be 90, but the Queen yesterday proved she is still very much in the driving seat during a family outing at Balmoral.
Royal protocol was put on hold as the monarch played chauffeur to her granddaughter-in-law Kate within the grounds of her Royal Deeside estate.
At the wheel of a dark green Range Rover in a casual sleeveless jacket, Her Majesty drove the future queen to a picnic lunch with Prince William in the hills high above Loch Muick.
The picture shows for the first time just how close the pair have become in recent years – and how much they clearly enjoy one another’s company. A beaming Kate looked happy and relaxed as she sat in the front passenger seat in a light green coat and scarf. Her long brown hair was worn loose with a natural wave as she made the most of her long weekend break in the Highlands.
They smiled and chatted to each other during the short journey while security staff sat in the back.
William and Kate, known as the Earl and Countess of Strathearn north of the Border, arrived in Royal Deeside on Thursday and have been staying at Prince Charles’ private Birkhall residence on the estate with their children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte.
Prince William was spotted driving a converted Land Rover Defender up the Capel Mounth path on the way to Glen Cova for a grouse shoot shortly after 10am yesterday.
At the grouse butts behind imposing Creag Bhiorach, dozens of soldiers were waiting to do the beating and drive the grouse towards the waiting guns.
An hour later, the hills rang with the sound of gunfire. At lunchtime, Special Branch vehicles arrived – closely followed by the Queen and Kate. Walkers on the public path at Loch Muick were delighted to see the Monarch, who appeared not to be wearing a seatbelt, driving Kate, who had her belt on, to the grouse moors.
The family holiday in Scotland will end this week as Prince William has engagements south of the Border on Wednesday and Friday. After that, he will be jetting off to Canada with Kate and the children from September 24 until October 1.