Overview
- King Charles visited Jedburgh and formally started the town’s annual hand ba' by tossing a leather ball into the Market Square on Thursday, then stepped back to watch players wrestle for possession.
- The match featured a tight, full‑contact scrum that formed close to the royal party and prompted visible movement by security officers, with no injuries or ongoing incidents reported.
- During the visit the King met stallholders and community groups, toured the Jed Shed workshop, and accepted local gifts including honey and a hand‑made shepherd’s crook.
- Crowds lined the streets, including schoolchildren waving flags, for the first royal visit to Jedburgh since 2006 as part of Royal Week in Scotland.
- Hand ba' dates to 1704 and pits town sides called the Uppies and the Doonies in a loosely governed street contest that can last hours, and the King’s appearance highlighted wider Borders common ridings traditions and local civic pride.