The King visits Jedburgh, Scottish Borders

The King’s visit to Jedburgh coincides with the Jethart Callant Festival, where His Majesty watched a procession of horses riding past the town square, met members of the local community and joined a traditional game of hand ba’.

Against a backdrop of live music and performances, at Jedforest Bandstand and Park, His Majesty spent time with independent traders at Jedburgh’s popular monthly market. 

Jedburgh was last visited by a member of the Royal Family in April 2006, when The Princess Royal opened the Jedforest Bandstand. 

Meeting local residents along the way, The King will walk to the Jed Shed, which was founded in 2014. The Jed Shed provides a space for members to create, share skills, and build connections in a fully equipped carpentry workshop as well as a social area, where members can play games and display their handmade items.

In the workshop, His Majesty watched a short carpentry demonstration before joining members in the social space to hear how the Shed has benefited their physical and mental wellbeing. 

Following this, The King walked to Jedburgh Town Square to join members of the community for the Jethart Callant Festival. The festival forms part of the traditional Common Ridings held across the Borders, where communities celebrate the historic riding of their boundaries with music and parades. 

The festival, unlike those in other towns, runs for two weeks, making it the largest in the region. 

His Majesty watched a procession of horses led by the Callant and preceded by a pipe band. The Callant, a young man chosen each year to lead the historic festival and represent the town, was accompanied by his entourage, who dismounted to perform a traditional reel for His Majesty. 

The King was then invited to start the game of hand ba’, a historic street sport which has been played annually in Jedburgh since 1704.