The Queen has joined spectators at the Braemar Gathering – the biggest event in the Highland Games calendar.

The annual games are held a short distance from the royals’ retreat on the Balmoral estate and always held on the first Saturday in September.

The Queen first attended the event as a seven-year-old in 1933, following in the footsteps of Queen Victoria who was a spectator in 1848.

A pipe band
The massed pipe bands started off the day before the Queen arrived (Andrew Milligan/PA)
The Queen at Braemar Royal Highland Gathering
The Queen was welcomed to the viewing pavilion with her daughter and son (Andrew Milligan/PA)
The Queen was presented with a bouquet of heather
The Queen was presented with a bouquet of heather by a highland dancer (Andrew Milligan/PA)
A young boy dances over swords
The Braemar Royal Highland Society has run the event in its present form since 1832 (Andrew Milligan/PA)
Braemar Royal Highland Gathering
The Queen is the patron of the Braemar Gathering which is held near her Balmoral home (Andrew Milligan/PA)
Highland dancing
The dancing is taken very seriously by competitors (Andrew Milligan/PA)
A competitor at Braemar Royal Highland Gathering
Heavyweight James Dawkins throws a stone during one of the sports events (Andrew Milligan/PA)
The Duke of Rothesay pavilion
The Queen opened the the Duke of Rothesay pavilion at the site – which has been named after the Prince of Wales using his Scottish title (Andrew Milligan/PA)
An RAF team took part in tug-o-war
An RAF team took part in the tug-o-war (Andrew Milligan/PA)
Highland dancers
Queen Victoria first attended the gathering in 1848 (Andrew Milligan/PA)
Braemar Royal Highland Gathering
The massed pipe bands of Canada outside the Duke of Rothesay pavilion (Andrew Milligan/PA)