The Princess Royal attended rehearsals for the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo at Edinburgh’s Redford Barracks on 2nd August.
Princess Anne, who is patron of the Tattoo, watched as the 1200 cast members of this years performance went through their paces prior to their first performance on Thursday night (3rd August).
Princess Anne chats with those involved with the Edinburgh Royal Military Tattoo (Edinburgh Tattoo)
Brigadier David Allfrey, chief executive and producer of the Tattoo, said the royal visit was a “massive privilege” and promised audiences would have their “hearts in their mouth” during this year’s show.
He added: “We’ve had a fantastic set of rehearsals this week, 1,200 cast members coming together on Sunday night for their first briefing, rehearsing Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and we now move to the Castle for the final set of rehearsals before we go public on Thursday night.
“I’m really looking forward to it, it’s amazing music, an amazing performance and frankly inspiring from so many of our performers, both military and civilian.”
“They are all extraordinary experts,” he said of the soldiers. “They are all masters of their own craft, but actually, when they come together from a production point of view, it’s pure recreation because they all feed off each other, they have great energy. There’s an awful lot of young people so you can feel the buzz just coming out of the cast.”
The Princess Royal is patron of the Edinburgh Tattoo and paid the rehearsal a visit (Edinburgh Tattoo)
This year’s line-up includes over 250 pipers and drummers, five UK military bands and a first for the Edinburgh event, a Japanese act, as well as performers from France, India and the United States. It is a demonstration of music, fireworks, and military precision.
The Princess seemed in her element chatting to those involved with the production, dressed casually in trousers and a navy coat, pinned with the tattoo’s badge, as she got to preview the show.
The show on Edinburgh Castle’s esplanade pays tribute to the UK’s maritime heritage and the Royal Navy in this year’s traditional display. The Tattoo is also celebrating Scotland’s Year of History, Heritage and Archaeology by hosting more than 3,000 clansfolk from 57 clans across the 25 performances.
The Earl and Countess of Wessex were joined by their children, Lady Louise and James, Viscount Severn, for the real performance on 4th August, but the family’s night out was low-key without any press notice taken; Prince Albert of Monaco also made an appearance.
For our first performance, we were honoured to welcome H.S.H, Prince Albert II of Monaco as well as H.R.H The Earl of Wessex #SplashofTartan pic.twitter.com/8rf7gCy1mB
— Edinburgh Tattoo (@EdinburghTattoo) August 5, 2017
Prince Edward wore the London Scottish Regiment uniform to the show, as the royal summer holiday continues.
