The Queen Mother drew applause

It was closely followed by a second Rolls containing the Queen Mother, who drew applause from spectators as she stepped from the car.

Mr and Mrs Blair are spending the weekend with the Queen at her residence in nearby Balmoral.

On Saturday they were guests at the Braemar Gathering, which has been patronised by the Royal family for 150 of the 183 years people have come together for traditional Highland dancing, music and sport.

Present were the Queen Mother - who missed last year's event through illness - the Queen, in a mulberry suit and hat, the Duke of Edinburgh and Prince Charles, both in kilts, and Prince Harry.

Prince Harry was making his first appearance at the event.

Around 18,000 members of the public watched a variety of Highland sports, including tossing the caber, the tug-of-war, and Highland dancing and the Queen presented prizes to the winners of various events.

Prince Charles sported a kilt but his son dressed in a suit

Retired Supreme Court judge Martin Evans, who had travelled from New York, said: "I think it's remarkable. It's a very historic tradition, something that the people of Scotland can be proud of."

Joe Brown, from Edinburgh, who had travelled to the event with his wife Sue, described it as "great" and he said that the tug-of-war was one of the highlights for him.

The Braemar gathering was made fashionable by Queen Victoria who attended during her first visit to Balmoral in 1848.

The Queen is the Royal patron of the event.

Mr Blair surprised spectators last year by becoming the first Prime Minister within living memory to attend the gathering.

He also performed a series of Scottish engagements on Friday, including a visit to the National Gallery of Scotland.