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King Charles has planted the King's Rose in the historic Gardens of Mey ahead of his annual Scottish summer break.

His Majesty, 77, beamed proudly as he donned a traditional kilt during his stay at the estate in Caithness, which was the former home of his grandmother, The Queen Mother.

During his visit to the gardens which she lovingly restored, the King's Rose, named in Charles's honour, was added to the Castle's Diamond Jubilee Rose Garden in the heart of the historic site.

The rose was cultivated by David Austin Roses in partnership with the King's Foundation and unveiled at the Royal Horticultural Society Chelsea Flower Show last May.

It has since been planted at King's Foundation sister sites – Dumfries House in Ayrshire and also at Highgrove Gardens in Gloucestershire.

As part of the collaboration with David Austin Roses, £2.50 from the sale of each rose is donated to support the work of The King’s Foundation to build sustainable communities and transform lives.

The Queen Mother bought the Castle of Mey in 1952 for just £100 after the death of her husband, King George VI.

Now, the sprawling 30-acre estate is managed and run by the King's Foundation – His Majesty's nature and sustainability charity – which helps to ensure that his historic affiliation to the royal retreat continues.

His Majesty, 77, beamed proudly as he donned his traditional kilt and tartan during his stay at the estate in Caithness, which was lovingly developed and restored by his grandmother, The Queen Mother

During his visit to the gardens, Charles planted the King's Rose, which was added to the Castle's Diamond Jubilee Rose Garden in the heart of the historic site

Charles typically spends the first week of August at the historic Castle and Gardens of Mey, which deliberately coincides with his beloved grandmother's birthday on August 4.

After taking some time to relax and attend the Mey Highland Games, the monarch then travels on to the Balmoral Estate in Aberdeenshire to enjoy the rest of his time away from public engagements.

The King has been visiting the Castle and Gardens of Mey since he was a young boy, and in August 2005 planted two sycamore trees in front of the Castle with Camilla, under their former titles of the Duke and Duchess of Rothesay.

It was given to the public as a historical building in 1996, and the castle and gardens are open for visitors from May to September, from Wednesday through to Sunday.

However, they close in the last week of July and first week of August, when Charles and Camilla make their annual summer visit.

Last week, the King was all smiles as he wore a kilt and sipped a dram of whisky while attending the Mey Highland Games.

Donning his traditional kilt, the monarch met spectators and competitors enjoying the Caithness event, where he saw several traditional sports on Saturday.

The King has had the title of Chieftain at the Mey Highland Games since 2002, when he took it over from his grandmother, the late Queen Mother.

He joyfully watched on as competitors took part in a game of tug o’ war, with even a group of firefighters taking part, who emerged victorious.

The Queen Mother bought the Castle of Mey in Caithness in 1952 for just £100 after the death of her husband, King George VI

Charles typically spends the first week of August at the historic Castle and Gardens of Mey. During this period, he often attends the Mey Games (pictured on August 1)

The sprawling 30-acre estate is managed and run by the King's Foundation, His Majesty's nature and sustainability charity, which helps to ensure that his historic affiliation to the royal Scottish retreat continues

King Charles congratulated each by shaking their hands, while also spending some of his day embracing the Celtic culture by chatting with several traders at stalls.

Among those to meet the monarch were the Wounded Highlanders, a team of injured veterans who often participate in adaptive competitions in the games.

Charles also saw the tossing of the caber – which involves entrants carrying a long and heavy tree trunk and throwing it in an attempt to turn it end over end.

Meanwhile, he was entertained by troupes of Highland dancers and pipe bands who also took part in the celebrations.

The Mey Highland Games take place each year at the John O’Groats showground, traditionally on the first Saturday of August.

The first Mey Games was held in the nearby village of Mey in 1970 to celebrate the late Queen Mother’s 70th birthday.

Located near John O'Groats, the Castle of Mey was the Queen Mother's place to escape from the hustle and bustle of London.

She once said of it: 'One feels so beautifully far away.'

She even went as far as demanding that a no-fly zone be imposed over the Highland retreat after being woken up from a nap by a passing aircraft.

Staff at the castle said the Queen Mother would take an afternoon nap at around midday after her first drink of the day – a mixture of one part gin and two parts fortified wine.

A letter dated August 12, 1993, from the defence secretary's office outlined the installation of a 'special protection' zone to not disturb the royal while she was in residence at the castle.

It read: 'Following your telephone call yesterday about low flying over the Castle of Mey while HM the Queen Mother is in residence I thought it might be helpful to confirm the arrangements that have been made.

'The castle will receive special protection from low flying (which will extend to two nautical miles laterally and two thousand feet vertically) until the Queen Mother leaves on August 27.

'While we can give no guarantee that aircraft are not seen in the vicinity, this should ensure that Her Majesty is not disturbed... Similar arrangements can be made for future periods when the Queen Mother is in residence.

'I understand that this is usually during the month of August.'

Princess Margaret expressed her dislike of the property by telling her mother: 'I can't think why you have such a horrible place as the Castle of Mey.'

To which Her Majesty replied: 'Well, darling you needn't come again.'