Kate watchers set for disappointment at Games

The “Kate Factor” is expected to attract near record crowds to Royal Deeside today for the annual Braemar Gathering.

Royal watchers, hopeful of catching a glimpse of the Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William, are excepted to descend on the village’s games arena in their droves.

But William Meston, the secretary of the Braemar Royal Highland Society, predicted that they are likely to be disappointed. He said: “We would have been hopeful that the newly-weds would come, but I think that’s highly unlikely.”

The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh and the Princess Royal are expected to attend the biggest event in the Highland games season, together with Prince Charles and the Duchess of Rothesay.

And Prime Minister David Cameron, who is spending the weekend with his wife Samantha at Balmoral as a guest of the Queen, could make the first appearance at the games by a prime minister since Tony Blair. Mr Meston said: “Mr Cameron’s visit has been mentioned but not confirmed.”

Mr Cameron was forced to cancel his jaunt to Royal Deeside last year because of the early birth of baby Florence.

Mr Meston said that the games’ organisers were expecting up to 20,000 people to attend the games.

He added: “There are a tremendous number of overseas visitors coming this year.”