The Queen has arrived at her summer residence at Balmoral castle, where she was seen sweetly greeting a Shetland pony this week, but it’s seems there’s one fun Balmoral tradition which won’t go ahead this year.
Her Majesty usually has chance to relax while at her Scottish estate and she had no official duties at Balmoral, except from making an appearance at the annual Braemar Gathering which usually takes place on the first Saturday in September.
The fun event involves the Highland Games - with competitions including caber tossing, tug of war and sack races - but sadly the Queen is set to miss out as the Gathering has now been cancelled for a second year in a row due to the pandemic.
The Queen, Prince Charles, the Duchess of Cornwall and Princess Anne have all been pictured having fun watching the Highland Games in previous years, so it's a shame to see the event being called off again.
It's a long-standing tradition for the royal family, with the event's history dating back 900 years. The Gathering as it is now has been running since 1832 and the Queen has been attending since she was a child.
A statement on the event's website explained, "This has been an extremely difficult decision to make. To cancel a gathering is something which I had hoped I would never have to do in my time as President. Now, to cancel for a second year is heart-breaking."
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"As I said last year, like the hills around Braemar, the gathering will be here next year, and we look forward to happier times and to welcoming you back to Braemar on September 3, 2022," President of the Braemar Royal Highland Society, David Geddes, continued.
The Queen particularly enjoys her time off at Balmoral, with Princess Eugenie revealing in the Our Queen At Ninety documentary, "I think Granny is the most happy there. I think she really, really loves the Highlands. Walks, picnics, dogs—a lot of dogs, there’s always dogs—and people coming in and out all the time."
So, safe to say she'll still have a lovely time despite this latest cancellation!
Emily Gulla was Cosmopolitan UK’s Former Editorial Assistant/Junior Entertainment and Lifestyle Writer, covering celebs, TV and film for the site, magazine and video. She’s interviewed the casts of your favourite TV shows, from Bridgerton to Derry Girls and Stranger Things, as well as dozens of Love Islanders. She also loves getting stuck into long-read features, writing on all things digital culture (including her favourite topic: memes), and dating - having appeared on the radio to discuss dating.
Emily's work has also been published on ELLE, Women's Health, Harper's Bazaar, Digital Spy and more. She holds a First Class degree in English with Film Studies from King's College London, and even wrote her dissertation on Love Island. You can find Emily on Instagram and LinkedIn, and can see more of her work on her website.
