A royal tradition spanning seven decades is set to continue as King Charles III is announced as patron of the Royal Highland Agricultural Society of Scotland (RHASS).

Queen Elizabeth II was a patron of RHASS for 70 years, with her dedication to many aspects of rural Scotland, from equestrianism to agriculture and livestock, invaluable to the society and communities across Scotland, the UK and the Commonwealth.

The King’s patronage comes as the society celebrates its 240th anniversary year. Planned activities acknowledging the year include a yearlong audio and visual storytelling project, 240 Years of Stories, to contribute towards the legacy of Scotland’s agricultural and rural community, a mass Munro challenge and a series of Harvest Thanksgiving services.

Commenting on the announcement, Alan Laidlaw, RHASS Chief Executive, said: “We are honoured and humbled that King Charles III is to continue the Royal Family’s long-standing tradition of supporting Scotland’s agricultural and rural communities through the work of the society.

“In what is our two hundred and fortieth anniversary year, when we are celebrating all that has been achieved over the last two centuries, and looking ahead to supporting the future of industry, it is fitting that we have a new royal patron to support Scotland’s agricultural achievements.”

The Royal Family's association with RHASS can be traced to 1787 when the society was granted its first royal charter. The Royal Highland Show, which is run by the society, also has a long history with the Royal Family and members attending the show. It was during the 1948 show held in Inverness that the royal title was bestowed on the event by King George VI.

This year, the Royal Highland Show takes place from Thursday 20, to Sunday 23 June.