Beyond the bagpipes: Meet the performers whose real Army jobs take them far from Edinburgh
The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo may be over for another year, but what happens after the applause ends?
Behind the massed pipes and drums are ordinary soldiers whose day jobs involve armoured vehicles, Nato deployments and military exercises.
Civilians might think being a soldier is just being out in the field with a weapon but there is also the chance to gain qualifications, play an instrument, take part in a variety of competitive sports, learn different languages and much more.
Side of soldiering the public rarely sees
Bradford soldier Lance Corporal Alex Kelly and Bristolian Trooper Jack Paul Orchard, known to his friends as "Matt Damon", have both performed at the biggest ceremonial gig of their lives – the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo.
But now it's back to work with the added bonus of being able to pursue hobbies and interests that challenge stereotypes of what being a soldier looks like in 2026.
When asked what skills the British Army has given him, Tpr Orchard said: "Bagpipes, Warrior maintenance and driving, an introduction to the Estonian language – but I think one of the biggest and most important is how to operate as an adult.
"I joined the Army at 19 and still lived at home, so having to make big decisions on my own was a shock.
"But after training, you really feel like an adult and that your decisions are more calculated."
The military's creative side
Neither soldier is a full-time musician, but both ended up performing before a global audience at Edinburgh Castle.
LCpl Kelly, from Allerton, serves with the Royal Dragoon Guards, a career that has already taken him across the globe, spending time in Estonia on a Nato exercise, a mission to deter Russian aggression on its eastern flank.
He left school at 16 and since joining the Armed Forces has received leadership training, developed kayaking and survival skills plus mastered the bagpipes and made friends.
He said: "I've got decent mates in the Army from all over the country that I wouldn't have met if I'd got a job around my hometown."
Tpr Orchard's role is that of vehicle maintenance and driving, giving him the skill and confidence to drive and maintain the Warrior infantry fighting vehicle on operations and exercise.
He always wanted to join the British as he wanted to travel the world, step out of his comfort zone and gain skills he would not have had the chance to on civvy street.
He said: "My school friend Joseph joined the Royal Engineers straight after college and knowing somebody I know was serving convinced me it was worth signing up and proving I have what it takes to be a soldier."
Before joining, both thought they knew what British Army life would look like.
Neither could have anticipated they would end up performing on one of the world's most famous military stages.
What is the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo?
The first Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo took place in 1950 and, since then, more than 50 countries from across six continents have been represented annually.
Her Royal Highness Princess Anne became patron of the Tattoo in 2006 and the Royal title was bestowed by the late Queen in 2010.
The Tattoo attracts more than 222,000-live spectators during its three-week run and reaches about 100 million television viewers worldwide.
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