Buckingham Palace Releases Striking Photo of King Charles Standing Alone in a Garden

Even kings need a summer vacation. Though King Charles and the rest of the royal family have maintained a full schedule of public appearances this season, the monarch is now headed for his annual summer holiday. King Charles kicked off his summer residence at The Castle of Mey by presiding over the planting of the King's Rose in the castle's garden. To commemorate the event, Buckingham Palace released a photo of the king standing alone, grinning while wearing a kilt.

"The King’s Rose has been planted at The Castle of Mey," the caption read. "His Majesty has begun his summer break in Scotland at The Castle and Gardens of Mey, which once belonged to his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother. To mark the occasion, The King has planted a new addition to the Diamond Jubilee Rose Garden, The King’s Rose."

In the photo, King Charles stands next to a garden table that features an overflowing vase of pink roses in front of an old stone wall. The estate served as the seat of the Earls of Caithness for a century before eventually being purchased by The Queen Mother in 1952. After extensive renovations, she reverted the estate's name from Barrogill Castle back to The Castle of Mey. King Charles's grandmother opened the gardens to the public for three days every year, a tradition maintained by The Kings Foundation, King Charles's nature and sustainability charity that now manages the castle.

King Charles began his Scottish holiday with an appearance at the Mey Highland Games in Caithness. The event celebrates traditional Scottish sports, like heavy weight competitions, Highland dancing, track events, tug-of-war and junior athletics. Since 2002, His Majesty has been the Chieftain of the Mey Highland Games, a title he inherited from The Queen Mother.