King Charles shocks Scottish bikers with random run-in

He found an unusual way to greet his subjects. 

A group of mountain bikers in Scotland were in for a big surprise when they randomly encountered King Charles, who was out for a hike. 

In video footage that was shot before they ran into the 74-year-old monarch, the cyclists were joking about seeing a “minor royal” after several Land Rovers drove past.

“I don’t care for the royals but it would be cool to see Charlie,” one of them remarked.

Then, one of them seemed to clue in that it wasn’t a joke, and it really was the King they were spotting. 

“I think Charlie is here because there’s guards down there with big assault rifles and stuff like that. It looks pretty cool,” the cyclist said.

Further footage shows King Charles stopping to greet the outdoor enthusiasts after they ran into him on Balmoral Estate in Aberdeenshire.

The King wore a flat cap and carried a walking stick, and he told the gobsmacked group that he was still on his summer vacation, and “it is wonderful up here.” 

But he also told the stunned cyclists, “the midges are horrendous,” referring to bugs. He added: “I like my walking.”

He briefly reminisced about camping in the area with his father, the late Prince Philip, and sister Princess Anne before departing with the sendoff, “Take care. Don’t fall off.”

Balmoral Castle, the Scottish residence of the Royal Family – and the place where Queen Elizabeth II died at age 96 last year – is open to the public. Access to the grounds is allowed on certain dates in the autumn and winter months. 

Although perhaps the cyclists shouldn’t have been surprised to run into the King when they went to one of his residences, the estate is a vast 50,00 acres, with extensive mountains, forests and more. The footage in their video shows a seemingly never-ending spread of hills, trails and rocky terrain for their mountain bikes. So, the average person’s chances of encountering a royal while out and about on the grounds aren’t high.

The nearly 20-minute video was posted on YouTube on Tuesday, with the title, “We bumped into King Charles on this bike ride!” 

It was reportedly shot on August 25, while the King and Queen Camilla were still on their annual break in Balmoral.

“What a nice man, lovely man. Had time for us,” a cyclist said in the video. “All I can think of – I wish I met the Queen now.”