Meanwhile, at Balmoral...

We've gotten a peek into a few events of the summer break:

• Back in August, the Sons of Scotland Pipe Band played at Balmoral for the Queen and members of the royal family. Their website has a look - the Queen is perhaps wearing a single strand of pearls.
• The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and wee Prince George arrived for a visit, including a grouse shoot. The Daily Mail shows us the Queen tooling around in her Range Rover.
• The Cambridges aren't the only ones visiting the Queen: John Key, Prime Minister of New Zealand, and his family arrived for a visit. The Queen received him for an audience in casual mode, including her pearl studs and a two strand pearl necklace.
• And everyone piled off to Sunday church, with the Queen sporting what I think must be her Small Pink and Diamond Brooch.

And that's that! The Queen will start inching back into her public schedule soon; she'll visit Aberdeen next week.