King Charles, Queen Camilla join locals for special anniversary celebration

King Charles and Queen Camilla took a break from royal duties in London to celebrate a major milestone close to home.

The royal couple joined locals in Ballater, Scotland, on Wednesday, October 9, for the 150th anniversary of the Albert Hall — a cherished community venue just a few miles from their Birkhall residence on the Balmoral estate.

“Celebrating the heart of village life in Ballater,” read a post on the Royal Family’s Instagram, sharing photos from the event.

During the visit, Charles and Camilla were treated to a special fiddle tune composed for the occasion by local musician Dr. Paul Anderson. The handwritten manuscript will now be displayed inside the hall.

The King and Queen also met local schoolchildren who designed flags to mark the anniversary, along with members of the Ballater Local History Group, who showed them a silver trowel used to lay the hall’s foundation stone in 1874.

The Albert Hall complex has long been a focal point of the community, and the royal couple have visited it many times over the years. Most recently in 2022, Their Majesties thanked locals for their support following Queen Elizabeth’s death at nearby Balmoral.