King and Queen's visit will mark 25 years of Scottish Parliament

King Charles will speak at Holyrood on Saturday as part of a programme of events

The King and Queen will mark the 25th anniversary of the Scottish Parliament with a visit to Holyrood on Saturday for a special event.

King Charles, who has been undergoing cancer treatment since February, will address the chamber and then meet "local heroes" who have made major contributions to their community.

A number of musical and cultural performances are also slated for the day, featuring the likes of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and the charity Sistema Scotland.

The King attended the Scottish Parliament's opening in 1999 - when he was Prince Charles - and has visited several times since then.

The King was among the Royal family members who attended the inauguration of the Scottish parliment in 1999

Alison Johnstone, the Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament, said that Saturday would be a "day of reflection and celebration."

She said: “Twenty five years of the Scottish Parliament marks a significant milestone in the country’s political journey.

“This anniversary offers the perfect opportunity for us not only to reflect on the last 25 years, but to look to the future and consider how parliament can continue to best meet the needs of those it serves.

“A cornerstone of this commemorative event will be about recognising the extraordinary contribution people from right across Scotland have made, and continue to make, to their own communities."

First Minister John Swinney and other party leaders will also speak at the event.

The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Sistema Scotland, Gaelic song chorus Còisir Alba and mandolin player Calum McIlroy - who won the BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician prize this year - will all perform on the day.

As well as being present for the Parliament opening in July 1999, the King also attended the 20th anniversary celebrations in 2019 and both the King and Queen attended the opening ceremony in 2021.

Their most recent visit was in 2022, where they attended the motion of condolence for the late Queen Elizabeth.