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The unit was originally disbanded in 1936 during the reign of George V

The King arrived at Balmoral today for his summer stay, greeted by a guard of honour in a formal ceremony that featured the revival of a historic Highland tradition.

The Balaklava Company, 5th Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland, welcomed the monarch to the Royal Family's Scottish residence.

Standing outside the castle's front gate were the first two members of the newly restored Highland men-at-arms, a group that had not existed for nine decades.

The unit was originally disbanded in 1936 during the reign of George V, the King's great-grandfather. A small crowd watched the proceedings through the gates as the Pipes and Drums of the 2nd Battalion accompanied the ceremony.

The two newly appointed Highlanders don uniforms drawing on designs from kilts of the late nineteenth century. Both are members of staff at His Majesty's Balmoral estate rather than serving military personnel.

Next month, the pair will participate in the Braemar Gathering, one of Scotland's most celebrated Highland games events. Their presence at the annual competition will mark another public appearance for the revived men-at-arms since the King chose to re-establish the group.

The reinstatement represents a deliberate nod to Balmoral's Victorian and Edwardian heritage, with the uniform design reflecting the estate's deep roots in Highland tradition stretching back more than 170 years.

The monarch has already had a packed itinerary north of the border this August, taking in the Castle of Mey Games and meeting members of the Assynt Mountain Rescue Team.

Visits to Halkirk and Castletown also featured on his schedule, during which he opened a new distillery housed in a restored former mill.

Tuesday's ceremony signals the formal beginning of the King's summer residence at the Highlands estate, where the late Queen Elizabeth II spent her final days in 2022.

Inspecting the battalion upon taking up residence is a long-standing Royal custom, and onlookers gathered at the gates to witness the occasion as it unfolded.

In June, the King penned the foreword to a new guidebook — an 80-page paperback titled Balmoral — in which he described the estate as holding "a uniquely special place" in his family's hearts.

He called the 50,000-acre Aberdeenshire property a "cherished home" possessing "startling individuality" and a "precious, almost sacred, surrounding landscape".

The King wrote: "Since my earliest childhood, it has held, and continues to hold, a uniquely special place in the hearts of my family and myself, and my late mother particularly treasured her time at Balmoral.

It was here, in these most beloved of surroundings, that she chose to spend her final days."

Queen Victoria and Prince Albert acquired the estate in 1852, subsequently constructing the castle that stands today. In July 2024, the King opened its doors to visitors for the first time in over 170 years.