'Both supporters and opponents of the monarchy are out in force'published at 13:59 British Summer Time 5 July 2023

13:59 BST 5 July 2023

James Cook
On the Royal Mile

There is a funny old atmosphere on the Royal Mile ahead of the King’s arrival.

Both supporters and opponents of the monarchy are out in force.

A woman holding a placard reading “Not My King” was harassed as she walked up the High Street outside St Giles’ Cathedral.

One man swore as he told her, forcefully, to go home. A man with a T-shirt proclaiming that he was a citizen not a subject shouted “BBC scum” at our team.

So far, though, these incidents have been the exception rather than the rule.

Most people are smiling in the sunshine, regardless of their views.

Scottish Greens co-leader Patrick Harvie tells the Our Republic rally outside the Scottish Parliament: “It’s really important for those who want an elected head of state to be heard.”

Harvie says it’s extraordinary to be “lavishing taxpayers' money on some of the wealthiest people in the world so they can play some kind of Game of Thrones”.

He said: “Passing unearned wealth from generation to generation is fundamentally at odds with the democratic society we are trying to build.”

Many people have started arriving at St Giles' Cathedral ahead of the National Service of Thanksgiving at 14:15, including Scottish politicians from across the political spectrum and members of the judiciary.

Image source, PA Media

Image source, PA Media

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, PA Media

Catriona Renton
BBC Scotland reporter at Edinburgh Castle

I've had a chance to speak to Major General Alastair Bruce of Crionaich OBE VR, the governor of Edinburgh Castle.

He tells me: “History has brought us to today and this castle looks after the honours - the crown, the sword and the sceptre.

"These represent our nation and today the King of Scots is presented with them and that links us to history, because Robert the Bruce we believe may well have been invested in 1306 with the circlet which is at the base of this crown.

"We don’t know. We cannot prove it but imagine how special that is.”

Major General Bruce adds: “As a new king starts his reign, we present them to him just to show that the link of continuity that we all represent in our own lives carries the history of Scotland from one generation to the next.”

About 100 people from all walks of Scottish life are taking part in the cavalcade along the Royal Mile and are due to arrive at the historic St Giles' Cathedral at about 13:30.

They are being escorted by the Royal Regiment of Scotland and a cadet military band.

Charities, groups and organisations are represented in the People's Procession along one of Edinburgh's most famous streets.

They include school crossing patrols from Edinburgh, NHS workers, Royal Mail staff, refugees, emergency service workers and representatives of the Scottish Parliament.

You can find the full list of organisations to be represented here., external

You can watch all the events of the day unfold right here from 13:30, by clicking the Play button at the top of the page.

• Order of service for King's thanksgiving service

You’ll also be able to watch on BBC One.

BBC Radio 3 will carry the National Service of Dedication and Thanksgiving, too.

There's less than 10 minutes to go until the People's Procession leaves Edinburgh Castle for St Giles' Cathedral.

Here's a quick reminder of what this procession will entail:

About 100 people from all walks of Scottish life will take part in the cavalcade along the Royal Mile, arriving at the historic kirk at about 13:30.

They will be escorted by the Royal Regiment of Scotland, their mascot Shetland pony Corporal Cruachan IV, and a cadet military band.

Image source, Getty Images

Charities, groups and organisations will be represented in the People's Procession along one of Edinburgh's most famous streets.

They will include school crossing patrols from Edinburgh, NHS workers, Royal Mail staff, refugees, emergency service workers and representatives of the Scottish Parliament.

You can find the full list of organisations to be represented here., external

It's going to be a busy afternoon, so here’s a list of all the key timings:

• 13:15: The People’s Procession begins
• 13:40: A priceless crown, sword and sceptre, known as the Honours of Scotland, will travel in a vehicle from Edinburgh Castle under military and police escort
• 14:05:The King and Queen Camilla leave the Palace of Holyroodhouse - their official Scottish residence
• 14:15: During a national service of thanksgiving, the King will be presented with the Honours of Scotland at St Giles’ Cathedral
• 15:20: A 21-gun salute will fire from Edinburgh Castle before the Royal procession travels back to Holyroodhouse
• 15:40: A fly-past by the Red Arrows

Former Olympic rowing champion Dame Katherine Grainger will be carrying one of the honours of Scotland, the Queen Elizabeth Sword, at today’s service.

She says she's following in good footsteps after Penny Mordaunt, the leader of the House of Commons, provided one of the standout moments at the King's Coronation in May when she carried another sword.

Image source, Getty Images

King Charles is preparing to be presented with Scotland's crown jewels in Edinburgh, in a ceremony to mark his Coronation.

He is now the UK's head of state and, of course, one of the most famous people in the world - but what does the King actually do?

Read more here.

It has already been a big week for Royal watchers in Scotland.

On Tuesday, King Charles and Queen Camilla unveiled a plaque on the Jubilee Gates, which were placed outside the Palace of Holyroodhouse last year as a gift to his late mother.

They also met members of the High Constables of Holyroodhouse - an organisation that dates back to the 16th Century and commissioned the gates to mark Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee.

Here are some photos of Holyrood Week, known in Scotland as Royal Week, getting under way.

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Reuters

Image source, PA Media

Image source, Getty Images

It may be the biggest day of Royal Week in Scotland this year, but Queen Camilla still found time to pop out this morning and meet weavers, crafts people and staff at a local tapestry studio and arts venue in Edinburgh.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, HISTORIC ENVIRONMENT SCOTLAND

If you're just joining us, here's a quick recap of the news from Edinburgh.

King Charles III will be presented with the Honours of Scotland - Scotland's crown jewels - during a national service of thanksgiving and dedication.

The service will take place at St Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh from about 14:15.

Coverage of the day's events begins on BBC One and BBC iPlayer at 13:30. You will also be able to watch with us here on the live page by just clicking on the play icon at the top of the page.

We've got a guide to how the day unfolds here and you can read the full, unabridged details of the ceremony as listed in the official order of service here.

Image source, ANGELO HORNAK

During the ceremony, King Charles will be in the presence of the Stone of Destiny - an ancient symbol of Scottish sovereignty that for centuries has been used at the inauguration of kings.

Its origins are unknown, but King Edward I of England took the the Stone from the Scots in 1296 following the first Scottish war of Independence and had it built into a new throne in Westminster.

It returned to Scotland in 1950 in unusual fashion.

On Christmas Day, the Stone was stolen by four Scottish students from Westminster Abbey. It turned up three months later in Arbroath Abbey in Scotland, hundreds of miles away.

The Stone was officially returned to Scotland in 1996, and is now on display alongside the Scottish crown jewels at Edinburgh Castle.

Image source, Reuters

The hour-long service at St Giles' Cathedral, which will follow the Royal Procession, will mix Scottish Royal tradition with new music written especially for the occasion.

World-renowned violinist Nicola Benedetti and The Honours of Scotland Ensemble will perform Peter Maxwell Davies' Farewell to Stromness.

And Joy Dunlop, a BBC Weather presenter and Gaelic singer, will sing Gaelic psalm And I Shall Dwell in God's House, which was composed by Paul Mealor for the service.

Three pipers from the King's former school, Gordonstoun, will also play for him.

The congregation is expected to include those who took part in the People's Procession as well as politicians and faith leaders.

Remember, you can watch how the day unfolds by clicking the Play button at the top of this page. You can also look at the full order of service here, external.

As we have been reporting, there will be two major processions later today - a People's Procession and a Royal Procession.

The Royal Procession to St Giles' Cathedral will see the King and Queen leave the Palace of Holyroodhouse - their official Scottish residence - at about 14:05.

They are expected to be joined by the Prince and Princess of Wales, who are known as the Duke and Duchess of Rothesay in Scotland.

As well as anti-monarchy protesters gathering opposite St Giles' Cathedral, a rally will also be held today outside the Scottish parliament building at Holyrood.

Kat Cary, from the Our Republic group, says they are protesting because "we don’t support an unelected head of state".

She says polling in Scotland has shown that 46% of people don’t support the monarchy.

"It will be a peaceful protest," she adds. "We want an elected head of state, not some hereditary one.

"[First Minister] Humza Yousaf is a republican but he is there to represent the people, which is OK. Today's event is happening during the cost of living crisis."

Image source, Getty Images

Dame Katherine Grainger DBE, the five-time Olympic rowing medallist and current chair of UK Sport, will bear the new Elizabeth Sword in today's service to present the Honours of Scotland to King Charles.

Named after his late mother, the Elizabeth sword was commissioned because the existing 16th Century sword is too fragile to handle.

"It’s an absolutely beautiful sword, a stunning piece of equipment," Dame Grainger told the BBC's Good Morning Scotland programme.

"It’s just shy of 5ft and weighs in about 16lbs/7.5kg. When its sheathed it’s got this beautiful sort of purple and silver outline to it.

"When you’re in the presence of the monarch the sheath comes off and it's got this engraved steel blade.

“It’s an absolutely massive privilege to be carrying it; it’s a good physical challenge, I’ll be honest.

“It’s really well weighted so when you have it upright - as it will be carried in - it feels right and sits quite comfortably, but you have to lift it up and lay it down. The manoeuvring of it has been a bit challenging; it takes a bit of practice."

Image source, PA