King kicks off summer holidays with glass of whisky at Highland Games
King kicks off summer holidays with glass of whisky at Highland Games
Dorothy Reddin Sun, August 2, 2026 at 10:56 AM UTC
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King Charles | Source: PA
King Charles, 77, relaxed with a dram of whisky at the annual Mey Highland Games on Saturday, taking in a range of traditional Scottish sporting contests in Caithness.
Dressed in his customary kilt, the monarch mingled with both spectators and competitors throughout the day at the event in the far north of Scotland.
The gathering, which can attract around 2,000 attendees, took place at the John O'Groats showground on what is traditionally the first Saturday of August.
His appearance came during what has been a strong week for the sovereign, with a YouGov poll showing that 68 per cent of the British public believe he is performing well as King, the highest figure the tracker has recorded to date.
Among the highlights was a fiercely contested tug o' war, in which a team of firefighters emerged victorious. Charles congratulated the group personally, shaking hands with the winners after their triumph.
The King also spent time with the Wounded Highlanders, a group of injured military veterans who are regular participants in the adaptive events staged as part of the games.
Caber tossing, the classic Highland discipline in which competitors hoist a heavy tree trunk and attempt to flip it end over end, was another spectacle Charles took in during the afternoon.
Performances from Highland dancing troupes and pipe bands rounded out the programme, adding to the festive atmosphere of the long-established gathering.
King Charles | Source: PA
The Mey Games trace their origins back to 1970, when the inaugural event was staged in the village of Mey itself to mark the Queen Mother's 70th birthday.
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Serving as guest of honour, she pronounced the occasion a success and urged organisers to repeat it every year.
Charles has served as Chieftain of the games since 2002, having assumed the role from his late mother, Queen Elizabeth II.
The monarch maintains deep personal connections to Scotland, which is home to the royal family's cherished private estate at Balmoral.
King Charles | Source: PA
His regular attendance at events such as the Mey Games has helped sustain his standing with the public, reflected in the recent record-high approval figures from YouGov's polling tracker.
While Charles enjoyed the Highland festivities in Caithness, his son Prince William was some 280 miles south in Glasgow for the Commonwealth Games.
Known as the Duke of Rothesay while north of the border, William was accompanied by Catherine and all three of their children.
Prince George, 13, Princess Charlotte, 11, and Prince Louis, eight, joined their parents to watch netball at the Hydro arena.
It marked the first time George and Louis had attended the Commonwealth Games, though Charlotte has been to the tournament before.
The family also took in a track cycling event alongside Sir Chris Hoy and the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh. The young royals are currently on their summer break from school.
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