King Charles arrived in Scotland: Symbolic handover of the keys from Edinburgh

King Charles III. (76) has arrived in Scotland to celebrate the start of the Royal Week – also known as Holyrood Week. In front of the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the monarch took part in the traditional key ceremony, in which the keys of the city of Edinburgh were symbolically presented. According to the ceremonial, he then handed it back back for safe storage.

“We, the Lord Provost and the members of the city council of Edinburgh, welcome your Majesty in the capital of your old and traditional Kingdom of Scotland and offer you to accept the keys of the city of Edinburgh, which belong to your Majesty,” said Robert Aldridge, the Lord Provost from Edinburgh, who spread the keys on a red pillow. , Charles symbolically touched the pillow.

After that, the monarch replied according to tradition: “In the firm conviction, I return that they cannot be put in better hands than in the Lord provost and the councilors of my good city of Edinburgh.”

Before the historical ceremony, the garden of the palace was transformed into a parade place and the king met with high -ranking military and uniformed.

After a royal salute for the king, Charles inspected an honorary guard of soldiers from the Royal Company of Archers, who serves as a ceremonial bodyguard of the king in Scotland – a task that was first in 1822 for King Georg VI. (1895-1952) was created. The HolyRoodhouse’s palace guard also started as a greeting.

The king walked along the honor guard, let his gaze wander over the soldiers and stopped to speak to some of them. He also talked to the members of the military chapels. The band of the Royal Regiment of Scotland and the 2nd Battalion Royal Regiment of Scotland with its bagpipes and drums provided the background music.