King Charles Meets a Notoriously Naughty Pony as He Begins Stay at Balmoral Castle — Just Like Queen Elizabeth

Did Shetland pony Corporal Cruachan IV, the mascot of the Royal Regiment of Scotland, behave himself for the King?

King Charles received an official welcome to Balmoral Castle in Scotland.

Following the royal tradition beloved by his late mother, Queen Elizabeth, King Charles will spend time at the 7,000-acre estate located in Aberdeenshire in the Scottish Highlands in the coming weeks. The stay in Scotland served as a summer break for the late Queen, where she would spend time with her family and relax (while still reading the diplomatic papers delivered daily in the famous "red boxes").

The King, 74, was welcomed to the royal residence on Monday with a small ceremony outside the castle gates. King Charles, who was recently announced as the new Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal Regiment of Scotland, inspected a Guard of Honour of the Balaklava Company, 5th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland, and the Pipes and Drums of 4 SCOTS performed at the ceremony.

In what has become another royal tradition, King Charles met Corporal Cruachan IV — a Shetland pony who serves as the mascot of the Royal Regiment of Scotland. The King exchanged a few words with the pony's handler and even gave Cruachan a pet on the nose — but the mascot isn't always on his best behavior in the presence of monarchs.

Related: Queen Elizabeth Died at Her Favorite Castle, Balmoral in Scotland: Inside Her Beloved Home

In 2018, the pony relieved himself during the ceremonial welcome to Balmoral Castle, causing Queen Elizabeth to turn away and shield her nose from the smell with her hand.

The previous year, Cruachan tried to take a nibble of a bundle of flowers being held by the Queen during a visit to Stirling Castle.

Queen Elizabeth once quipped, "Here we are again," upon seeing the pony.

At Monday's ceremony, King Charles wore traditional Scottish garb, including a kilt, knee socks and a sporran (a pouch — after all, kilts traditionally don't have pockets!).

The King was also spotted chatting with members of the public who came to see the official welcome.

Can't get enough of PEOPLE's Royals coverage? Sign up for our free Royals newsletter to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more!

On Thursday, Balmoral Castle announced that the grounds, gardens and exhibitions of the estate were now closed to the public, hinting that King Charles, Queen Camilla and other members of the royal family would be gathering at the residence in the coming weeks.

Since 1845 — when Queen Victoria's husband, Prince Albert, purchased the castle and the surrounding estate located — Balmoral has been used by the royal family to entertain friends, hold dances, picnic and go on shooting parties.

Returning to Balmoral will no doubt be bittersweet for members of the royal family this year. In addition to holding special memories through the years, Queen Elizabeth died at age 96 at her beloved summer residence on Sept. 8, 2022 — just days after her final royal duty.

Related: Inside Queen Elizabeth's Go-To Summer Escape, Balmoral Castle in Scotland

King Charles and Queen Camilla, 76, are expected to spend the first anniversary of Queen Elizabeth's death privately, just as Queen Elizabeth used to do on her own Accession Day.

King Charles has been in Scotland for several weeks already, undertaking engagements from awarding trophies at the Mey Highland Games to sipping whisky at a new distillery.

Prince William and Kate Middleton's summer will almost certainly include a trip to Scotland with their three children: Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, 8, and Prince Louis, 5. Just as Prince William did as a boy, his kids will likely splash in the River Dee while exploring the outdoors at the expansive rural estate before returning to school next month.

Prince William and Princess Kate, both 41, also have a special spot in their hearts for Scotland, as it's where they first met as college students at the University of St. Andrews.

Prince William previously stated that "the connection I feel to Scotland will forever run deep."

For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on People.