Rishi Sunak meets King and Queen at church near Balmoral
Rishi Sunak was driven to Crathie Kirk separately from Charles and Camilla before attending the traditional Sunday service together.
The king sat in a kilt next to the queen, who wore a green coat and hat and held a beige handbag on her lap, as they were driven to the 19th century parish church overlooking the River Dee.
They were joined in the church by Charles’ sister, the Princess Royal, and her husband, Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence.
The royals are just days away from the first anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s death and the king’s accession to the throne on September 8th.
Mr Sunak’s stay at Balmoral Castle – an annual September tradition for sitting prime ministers – comes as he prepares for the return of Parliament on Monday after the summer recess.
Following his late mother’s custom, Charles invited the Prime Minister to his retreat in Aberdeenshire, where the royal family spends time every summer.
Former Prime Minister David Cameron once said that there wasn’t much “chillaxing” – relaxing and unwinding – at the castle as the royals spend their time doing outdoor activities.
Years of memories have been made at Balmoral, including family barbecues where Prince Philip, the late Duke of Edinburgh, cooked and the late Queen did the washing up.
In royal residences, servants carefully unpack luggage for guests.
Cherie Blair said in her autobiography that her son Leo was conceived at Balmoral after she left her contraceptives at home out of embarrassment before her annual weekend break there with her husband and then-Prime Minister Sir Tony Blair.
“In 1998, I was extremely disturbed to discover that all of my luggage had been unpacked,” she wrote.
“Not just my clothes, but the entire contents of my decidedly antique toiletry bag with its abundance of unspeakable things.
“This year I was a little more cautious and didn’t pack my contraceptive kit out of sheer embarrassment.
“As always, it was bitterly cold up there and with one or two people…”
https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/balmoral-queen-rishi-sunak-prime-minister-the-king-scotland-royal-news-b1104504.html Rishi Sunak meets King and Queen at church near Balmoral
