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About
Holyrood Week is a chance for Members of The Royal Family to visit various regions in Scotland, meet Scots from all walks of life and host thousands at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in recognition of their good work.
Known in Scotland as 'Royal Week', and to others as 'Holyrood Week', these visits celebrate Scottish culture, achievement and community.
The Palace of Holyroodhouse is the official residence of the Monarchy in Scotland.
Founded as a monastery in 1128 at the end of the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, the Palace of Holyroodhouse has a close association with the History of Scotland.
Day One
The Ceremony of the Keys
The Ceremony of the Keys took place on the forecourt of the Palace of Holyroodhouse, attended by The Queen and The Earl and Countess of Wessex.
This is a traditional ceremony that always marks the start of Holyrood Week, where the Lord Provost, presents the keys of the city.
The Guard of Honour was provided by the Balaklava Company, The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, 5th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland (5 SCOTS).
Music was provided by the Pipes and Drums of The Royal Highland Fusiliers, 2nd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland (2 SCOTS) and The Band of the Royal Regiment of Scotland (Band SCOTS).
Day Two
Act of Loyalty Parade
The Queen was honoured by the Armed Forces - of which she is Head - with an 'Act of Loyalty' parade at which she was presented with the keys to Edinburgh Castle.
The Queen’s Medal for Music
Her Majesty later held an Audience with musician John Wallace at which she presented him with The Queen’s Medal for Music 2021. An internationally renowned Scottish trumpet soloist, composer and educator, John Wallace is the seventeenth recipient of the award.
The Queen’s Medal for Music was established in 2005 to honour outstanding contribution to the musical life of the nation.
Investiture
The Princess Royal conducted an Investiture on behalf of The Queen at the Palace of Holyroodhouse. Among today's recipients were a Paralympian, a Librarian and a Chief Nursing Officer for Scotland.
Visit to Moray
The Earl and Countess of Wessex and Forfar visited Moray, where they conducted engagements recognising young people and volunteers from across the region.
Their Royal Highnesses began the day at Gordonstoun School, where they viewed archive material relating to The Duke of Edinburgh’s time at Gordonstoun, including photographs and school reports.
They then presented 120 pupils with their special Moray Badge ‘Platinum Jubilee’ and hear dabout their experiences completing the Badge. The Moray Badge - which is unique to Moray and Banffshire - has been reintroduced for 2022 as a special celebration to mark The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. The Moray Badge was originally established by Kurt Hahn at Gordonstoun in 1936 and is widely recognised as being a predecessor of The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, with The Duke himself having been awarded the Badge in 1937.
At the end of the visit to Gordonstoun, The Earl and Countess presented Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service to Gordonstoun Fire Service. Gordonstoun is the only school in the UK where students are volunteer firefighters, and attend incidents in the community as part of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service. The Queen’s Award is the highest recognition a local voluntary group can receive in the UK.
At Cooper Park in Elgin, Their Royal Highnesses officially opened the park’s new Queen’s Green Canopy (QGC) ceremonial avenue, before visiting Moray Food Plus, a local food bank, to help pack parcels for residents who use the service.
Day Three
Audience
Day Three began with an Audience at the Palace of Holyroodhouse.
Capability Scotland
The Countess of Wessex visited Capability Scotland's Riccarton Service to celebrate the charity's 75th anniversary. The charity provides care, support, and education for disabled children and adults across Scotland.
The Duke of Edinburgh was Patron of the charity for 60 years, and a rose was planted by Her Royal Highness in his memory.
Royal College of Surgeons
The Duke of Rothesay paid his first visit to the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh since taking over the Patronage from The Duke of Edinburgh.
Garden Party
The Duke of Rothesay, The Earl and Countess of Wessex and Forfar, The Princess Royal and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence attended the annual Garden Party in the gardens of the Palace of Holyroodhouse.
6,000 guests had been invited in recognition of their contribution to communities across Scotland.
Day Four
Order of the Thistle Service
The Duke of Rothesay and The Princess Royal, Royal Knights of the Thistle, attended the Thistle Service at St Giles’ Cathedral for the installation of The Right Honourable Dame Elish Angiolini and The Right Honourable Sir George Reid. The appointments to the Order of the Thistle, made by The Queen, were announced earlier this month.
The Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle is the greatest order of chivalry in Scotland, recognising sixteen Knights and Ladies with the highest honour in the country and recognises the Scottish men and women who have held public office or who have contributed in a particular way to national life.
The Queen is Sovereign of the Order and appointments made to the Order are made recognition of men and women who have held public office or have contributed significantly to national life.
In addition to the 16 Knights and Ladies, The Duke of Rothesay, The Princess Royal and The Duke of Cambridge serve as Royal Knights of the Thistle.
Reddendo Parade
The Queen attended a Queen’s Body Guard for Scotland, The Royal Company of Archers, Reddendo Parade in the gardens at the Palace of Holyroodhouse.
Traditionally, a ‘Reddendo’ is a gift presented as an act of service from the Royal Company to the Sovereign, as a display of loyalty in return for certain privileges. The now ceremonial presentation represents the Royal Company’s role as The Queen’s Body Guard in Scotland.
The tradition began in March 1704, when Queen Anne agreed with the then Captain General, The Earl of Cromarty, that in return for certain privileges - mostly connected with Archery - the Royal Company could be called upon to render to Queen Anne and her successors a pair of barbed Arrows, originally resting on an embroidered green cushion.
The Royal Company of Archers functions as the Sovereign's ceremonial 'Body Guard for Scotland' - a role first created in 1822 during a visit to Scotland by King George IV. This year, the Royal Company celebrates its Bicentenary as the Sovereign’s Body Guard for Scotland.
The Royal Company performs duties at the request of The Queen at any State and ceremonial occasion taking place in Scotland. The Royal Company attend the annual Garden Party at the Palace of Holyroodhouse where around 120 members of the Royal Company form avenues in which attending Members of the Royal Family meet guests.
The Earl of Wessex and Forfar Away Day
The Earl of Wessex and Forfar started the day in North Lanarkshire, where he visited Ravenscraig Regional Sports Facility to meet young people from across North Lanarkshire to hear all about their Duke of Edinburgh's Award experience.
His Royal Highness then travelled to Forfar, where he visited Strathmore Community Rugby Trust to celebrate their fifth anniversary.
From autism friendly sessions to Walking Rugby, the Trust provides opportunities for everyone in Strathmore Valley to enjoy and participate the sport, improving physical and mental wellbeing as well as bringing the community together.
The day finished at the local Cricket Club, to see how the Forfar Community Skiff is coming along. Bringing together organisations from across the area, the creation of the Forfar Community Skiff has used the skills of local craftspeople and volunteers, to handmake the boat which will enable all members of the community to enjoy the water.
Day Five
The Earl of Wessex and Forfar hosted Gold Award Celebration in the gardens of the Palace of Holyroodhouse for Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award holders from across Scotland.
The celebration – the first Awards event in Scotland since the pandemic – saw the Palace of Holyroodhouse Gardens transformed with a series of speaker stages, offering a chance to pick up career advice from well-known Scottish business leaders and entrepreneurs.
