THE royal court for this year’s Beltane Festival has been announced.

At a ceremony in Peebles on Wednesday (May 10) the town found out who the 2023 Beltane Queen and court would be.

The announcement, made outside the Community Centre (Drill Hall), saw Peebles Beltane Festival chairman Paul Spence welcome 12-year-old Minnie Mitchell, of Kingsland Primary, to join him.

“I am very surprised,” said a visibly moved Minnie.

Later her mum, Jennifer Mitchell, added: “I am absolutely over the moon, it is such an honour and I am a bit overwhelmed.

“We only moved to Peebles six years ago from Edinburgh.”

Mr Spence told the Peeblesshire News: "Another wonderful turnout of some very exciting P6 and P7s.

"The Court announcement for 2023 has meant we are now in full festival mode.

"I couldn’t have asked for such an enthusiastic response to all the names read out.

"Thank you to all the Beltane Committee and the teachers for there assistance and to the pupils of our three primary schools that make this very difficult task of selecting the Beltane Court very worth while.

"Let's roll on for the flaming skies of June."

Joining Minnie in this year’s Beltane Court are:

  • Chief Maid – Ava Whelan (Priorsford)
  • First Courtier – Struan Hume (Priorsford)
  • Second Courtier – Rudi Ward (Kingsland)
  • Maids – Darcy Aikman (Priorsford); Summer Noble (Halyrude); Jess Price (Priorsford); Madison Smith (Kingsland); Hope Watson (Kingsland)
  • First Herald – Milo Parr (Priorsford)
  • Second Herald – Oscar Smith (Kingsland)
  • Admiral – Hamish Mackie (Kingsland)
  • Casket Bearer – Matthew Bon (Priorsford
  • Crown Bearer – Alec Szpunar (Priorsford)
  • Queen's Highlander – Michailo Ryzhykov (Kingsland)
  • Royal Herald – Hamish Falconer (Priorsford)
  • Sceptre Bearer – Damien Pijper (Priorsford)
  • Standard Bearer – Lucas Whelan (Halyrude)
  • Sword Bearer – Brodie Sainsbury (Kingsland)
  • Telegram Girl – Nancy Thomson (Kingsland)
  • Immediate Entourage – Brooke Bain, (Halyrude); Freya Garrison (Priorsford); Tilly McNeilly (Kingsland); Sophie Muir (Priorsford); Ada Murphy (Priorsford); Isla Sutherland (Kingsland); Coco Turnbull (Kingsland)
  • Queen's Pages – Thomas Finch, Harris Patterson (both Halyrude); Drew Glasgow, Finlay Bartley (both Kingsland); Matthew Hittle, Elijah Hunt (both Priorsford)