Covid stops Her Majesty inspecting Royal Guard
THE Queen’s traditional military welcome to Scotland to mark the beginning of her summer break has been cancelled.
The official inspection of the Royal Guard is one of the highlights of her annual visit to the Balmoral estate, near Ballater, Royal Deeside, and attracts hundreds of well-wishers.
A spokesman for the Army in Scotland said: ‘The Army will not be forming a Royal Guard this year and there won’t be an arrival parade.
‘This is due to the ongoing Covid pandemic and is entirely in the interests of the community of Ballater and is in line with the Scottish Government roadmap out of lockdown.
‘These are unprecedented times and I know this will be somewhat of a disappointment but it has been the strangest of years and I’m sure people will understand that, with everything else that has been cancelled and postponed, that the Royal Guard could not go ahead in the normal way, given Government direction. We hope it will be back to normal next year.’
The troops from the Royal Regiment of Scotland are normally barracked in Ballater, seven miles from Balmoral, and are on parade for the Queen’s first and last visit to worship at Crathie Kirk during her stay.
Normally they are paid extra during their trip to the estate for volunteering to act as beaters, driving grouse towards the royal guns on the extensive moors.
It is the second year in a row the parade has been affected by external events. Last year’s ceremony was interrupted when the soldiers were caught in a torrential downpour and Her Majesty, as their commander-inchief, ordered them to beat a retreat.
This week’s cancellation also means no turnout for the tiniest star of the parade, Corporal Cruachan IV, the guard’s Shetland pony mascot.
Last year he was on his best behaviour as the Queen carried out her duties – but the year before he tried to bite Prince Harry when he went to pat him during a visit to Edinburgh Castle with his then bride-to-be, Meghan Markle.
The Queen’s security will be instead handled by armed officers of the Special Branch, the Metropolitan Police and Police Scotland.
Ahead of her arrival, believed to be tomorrow, plain clothes officers and staff were seen busily making preparations at the entrance to the estate.
Balmoral Castle also tweeted that the Cairns Walk would be temporarily closed from tomorrow.
The six-mile route, which features a number of cairns established by Queen Victoria to commemorate the marriages of her children, is popular with visitors but offers a clear view to the main house and is usually shut while the monarch is in residence.
An armed guard has been in place to protect the sovereign while she stays on the estate.
For the past two summers, the duties have been carried out by 80 soldiers and three officers of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, 5th battalion, which is also known as Balaklava Company.
The Queen is officially met and escorted by the Officer Commanding, accompanied by the rousing skirl of the pipes and beating drums, as she inspects the kilted troops.
The Scottish battalion also guarded Her Majesty last year at Buckingham Palace, St James’s Palace and the Tower of London.
‘Entirely in the interests of the community’