Edinburgh dressed up on Wednesday, July 5, to witness the coronation of King Charles III, who, following the tradition of the British monarchy, chose this day for his enthronement on the Scottish throne.
Accompanied by his wife, Queen Camilla, and the Prince and Princess of Wales, the monarch participated in a religious ceremony and toured the city.
Pictures of King Charles’ Scottish coronation
Although the preparation for this coronation was more discreet and modest compared to the one held at Westminster Abbey on May 6, it did not detract from its importance and significance.
Rigorous police controls were carried out throughout the city, especially along the route of the monarchs, along with Prince William and Kate Middleton, with the aim of ensuring that the event passed without incident.
As is common on such occasions, some Republican groups made their voices heard, protesting with slogans such as “Not our king”.
Unlike the ceremony at Westminster Abbey, on this occasion, King Charles did not wear the crown on his head, although the monarchical symbols known as the “Honours of Scotland”, which include the crown, the scepter, and the gold, silver, and gem sword, were present.
This is because Scotland is not an independent kingdom and, therefore, it is considered inappropriate to physically crown its monarch.
The Honours of Scotland, escorted by the sound of bagpipes, were presented at St. Giles Cathedral. Katherine Grainger carried the sword Elizabeth, the scepter was borne by Lady Dorrian, clerk of justice, and the crown was presented by the Duke of Hamilton.
There were some differences compared to the coronation in London, as the king was presented with a new sword upon receiving the crown jewels of Scotland.
This sword, named Elizabeth after Charles’ late mother, was commissioned because the existing 16th-century sword was too fragile for use.
The sword was designed by Mark Dennis, who was inspired by the thistle, Scotland’s national flower, and the Scottish landscape.
The Stone of Destiny was also present at King Charles’ coronation service, held at St. Giles Cathedral.
To the sound of “God save the King” and the Scottish anthem, the kings and princes of Wales arrived at St. Giles Cathedral.
Queen Camilla wore the Order of the Thistle robe and hat, which belonged to the late Queen Elizabeth, including the star and necklace.
This was the first time Camilla was seen wearing this cloak since joining the order on June 16, 2023. Underneath the cape, she wore a long white gown designed by Bruce Oldfield, the same gown she wore during the coronation in May.
The high point of the ceremony was the military parade and the gun salute, marking the end of the proceedings.
As the national anthem played, the royal retinue, led by King Charles and Queen Camilla and the Prince and Princess of Wales, made their way back to the Palace of Holyroodhouse.
On their way back to the palace, music was played by the different military corps, while the attendees of the religious service continued to leave the cathedral.
Shortly before leaving the cathedral, a 21-gun salute was fired from Edinburgh Castle by the 12th Regiment Royal Artillery.
The show concluded with an aerobatic display by the Red Arrows, the British Royal Air Force’s aerobatic flying group.
From the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the King, Queen, and the Duke and Duchess of Rothesay, William, and Kate, enjoyed the display comprised of nine aircraft flying in formation in a “V”, with the colors of the British flag, blue, red and white, behind them.
Although the Red Arrows show was much smaller compared to the “Trooping the Colour” parade that took place last June 17, which featured 70 aircraft, it was still a memorable moment for those present.
A flying finale to a wonderful day – thanks to the @rafredarrows! ✈️🤩 pic.twitter.com/FeMfQ5oi3b
— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) July 5, 2023