Blink and you’ll have missed it, but a fleeting mistake in royal protocol this week caused Buckingham Palace to issue a correction.
The palace was forced to correct a post on their official social media account over the weekend – one which misnamed his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother.
The post, which appeared on X (formerly Twitter), was intended to mark His Majesty’s annual visit to the Mey Highland Games in Caithness. It originally referred to the late royal matriarch simply as “The Queen Mother,” omitting the formal and correct title: Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother – a distinction that holds particular significance given her daughter, the late Queen Elizabeth II, bears the same name.
The mistake, though corrected within a minute, did not go unnoticed by sharp-eyed royal commentators and protocol purists. While “The Queen Mother” is a common colloquialism, it is not an official style. In royal terms, precision matters – especially when navigating a lineage that includes two queens of the same name.
The updated message now reads: “The King has attended the Mey Highland Games in Caithness! First established in the village of Mey in 1970 to celebrate the 70th Birthday of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, The Mey Games have since become an annual tradition.”
Such a trivial mistake would not usually be picked up on, however, since Elon Musk’s takeover of the platform, edits to tweets are now glaringly obvious, with banners above outdated posts.
King Charles III cut a striking figure in full Highland dress over the weekend as he presided over the Games in his role as Chieftain – a position he inherited in 2002, following the death of his grandmother, whose love for the region was legendary.
The King, now 76, arrived at the John O’Groats Showground accompanied by Lady Sarah Chatto, his cousin and daughter of Princess Margaret. He was greeted by cheers from spectators and the skirl of bagpipes, before taking his seat beneath the marquee.
His Majesty wore the rarely seen Balmoral tartan, a pattern designed by Prince Albert in the 1850s and reserved exclusively for the sovereign. Paired with red hose, a leather sporran, and a beige tweed jacket, the ensemble signalled both continuity and a deeply held personal affection for Scotland – a country where he has spent summers since childhood and often retreats in quieter moments.
The day unfolded with all the vigour and tradition one expects of the Highland Games: caber tossing, tug o’ war, Highland dancing, and a rousing performance from massed pipe bands. The King was observed chatting amiably with competitors and raising a dram of whisky in toast – a moment that captured both the ceremonial and convivial spirit of the event.
