The Highland Games were opened by Prince Charles amid the Queen’s ongoing absence due to her health and mobility issues.
The monarch missed the event for the first time in her 70-year reign as Prince Charles and Camilla were joined by Princess Anne and her husband Timothy Laurence this afternoon.
Prince Charles, known as the Duke of Rothesay in Scotland, opened The Queen Elizabeth Platinum Jubilee Archway during the festival and will also present awards throughout the day.
A royal source said: “The decision has been made for The Queen's comfort,” and it came after a prolonged period of concerns over her health.
Earlier this week, the Queen was said to have been “carefully considering” whether she was fit enough to attend the event.
She even cancelled a trip to bid a formal farewell to the ousted PM Boris Johnson next week.
The 96-year-old will receive the ousted PM at Balmoral Castle in Scotland instead, it has been announced.
His visit will shortly be followed by an audience with Britain's new Prime Minister, a Buckingham Palace spokesperson said.
For the first time in the event’s history the Highland Games will be livestreamed today so the Queen can watch along online.
In Braemar, the Prince of Wales cut the heather rope to officially open the games before he and Camilla took their seats in the Royal Pavilion to watch the events.
This year’s competition is the first to be held since the pandemic.
Organisers said: "We are passionate about our traditions, heritage and history and we are excited that we can reach new and old audiences to share those with you."
The Queen is reportedly "resting" a lot more following a "change" in her mobility as Royal Family members visit the monarch at Balmoral.
Her Majesty was last seen publicly on July 21 when she arrived at Aberdeen airport as part of her annual summer holiday to Balmoral, where she traditionally stays between July and October.
Despite her mobility issues, the Queen has been thrilled by visits from her family including "lots of great-grandchildren" spending time with her.
A source told the Daily Mail that the Queen's mobility has taken "a change in the past few weeks".
The source added: "The Queen’s condition is not what you would call ideal, but then Her Majesty is 96 after all."
Royal experts say Prince Charles' visits to see his mum are a sign he is concerned about her welfare.
Her Majesty was seen for the first time using a walking stick in public earlier this year.
It comes as the self-exiled Duke and Duchess of Sussex are reportedly set to return to the UK this weekend for the first time since the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
Hello! reported that the Sussex couple were due to touch down this morning and that they will appear at events in London and Manchester, as well as jetting off to Germany to mark the one year countdown to the Invictus Games.
As things stand there are reportedly no plans for William and Kate to meet Harry and Meghan.
This is despite the fact they will be staying just a few hundred feet away from one another.
It is also unknown if Harry and Meghan will visit the Queen in Balmoral.
