Why the Queen is having to miss her favourite Balmoral tradition for the second time

Did you know? The event has been running for an impressive 900 years

Her Majesty The Queen spends her summer at her Balmoral residence. While her trip was delayed this year, for various reasons explained here, she has now arrived in Scotland for her stay.

Her stint is normally the most relaxed period of the year for Her Majesty, as it's the only time where she has no official duties.

This week, she chose to spend her time meeting a Shetland pony named Cpl Cruachan IV.3.

However, one of the Queen's favourite traditions that she does choose to attend in Scotland will sadly not be going ahead - and didn't go ahead last year, either, thanks to COVID-19 restrictions.

The largest event HM attends while in Scotland is the Braemar Gathering, which was planned to take place on September 4th.

It's a fun annual event which sees locals partake in traditional games including a tug of war, caber tossing and a sack race. Yet sadly, the event will no longer happen this year because of Covid-19 restrictions.

It did not go ahead last year either, also because of Covid-19 restrictions.

The Queen isn't the only Royal who has previously attended the games, with the likes of Prince Charles, the Duchess of Cornwall and Princess Anne all making an appearance in past years.

The official statement on the Braemar Gathering website from the president of the Braemar Royal Highland Society, David Geddes, reads: "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."

"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."

While it's important to remain cautious as lockdown restrictions ease, it's a shame to see an event so close to the Queen's heart cancelled again.

The gathering in its current format has been running since 1832, and the Queen first visited as a young girl.

We hope Her Majesty has a lovely time in Scotland, despite the cancellation.