King's visit to Scotland to mark coronation confirmed for July
- Published
The dates for King Charles and Queen Camilla's week-long visit to Scotland marking their Coronation has been confirmed.
The King will be presented with the Honours of Scotland at a national service of thanksgiving at St Giles' Cathedral on Wednesday 5 July.
This will follow a people's procession on the Royal Mile.
The Prince and Princess of Wales, known as the Duke and Duchess of Rothesay in Scotland, will also attend events.
The visit will see the King follow in the footsteps of his mother Queen Elizabeth II in 1953.
The Honours are Scotland's crown jewels which are usually on display to visitors at Edinburgh Castle.
Made of gold, silver and precious gems, they are the oldest crown jewels in Britain and comprise the crown, sceptre and sword of state.
The Stone of Destiny will be in St Giles' Cathedral for the service after playing a significant part in the Coronation at Westminster Abbey.
The Honours will be collected by the procession involving around 100 people representing aspects of Scottish life.
It will be led by The Royal Regiment of Scotland, Shetland pony mascot Corporal Cruachan IV and supported by cadet musicians from the Combined Cadet Force Pipes and Drums, 51 Brigade Cadet Military Band.
The rest of the parade will be made up of members of the Scottish Youth Parliament, representatives from charities such as Guide Dogs for the Blind, Enable Scotland, the Duke of Edinburgh Awards and the Princes Trust.
It will have a distinctly Scottish theme and will also include youngsters from the Girlguiding, Scouts and Boys and Girls Brigade.
The Royal Procession will travel from the Palace of Holyroodhouse to the Cathedral with a military escort.
The end of the St Giles' service will be marked with a 21-gun salute from Edinburgh Castle before the Royal Procession travels back to the Palace of Holyroodhouse.
There will also be a fly past by the Red Arrows following the event.
The public will be able to gather and watch the procession along the Royal Mile.
Scotland's First Minister Humza Yousaf said: "Scotland will welcome the new King and Queen in July with a series of events to mark the Coronation.
"A people's procession, a royal procession, a national service of thanksgiving and a gun salute will take place in Edinburgh.
"Representatives from many different communities and organisations in Scotland will take part in these historic events."
Queen Elizabeth II performed her Scottish ceremonial duties on 24 June 1953, three weeks after her Coronation on 2 June.
The Queen dressed in "day clothes" for the ceremony, not ceremonial robes. Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, wore a field marshall's uniform.
The last time the ceremony had been enacted before this was in 1822 during the visit of King George IV.
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