King Charles receives keys to the City of Edinburgh as Royal Week gets underway

The King began his official stay in Scotland by receiving the keys to the city of Edinburgh, which is celebrating its 900th anniversary.

Charles attended the Ceremony of the Keys in the garden of the Palace of Holyroodhouse, his official residence in the Scottish capital.

He was greeted by the Lord Provost, Edinburgh City Councillor Robert Aldridge, who handed over the keys on a red velvet cushion which Charles symbolically touched.

Mr Aldridge told the King, after arriving by helicopter with the Queen: “We, the Lord Provost and members of the City of Edinburgh Council, welcome Your Majesty to the capital of your ancient and hereditary kingdom of Scotland and offer for your gracious acceptance the keys of Your Majesty’s good City of Edinburgh.”

Charles gave the traditional reply: “I return these keys perfectly convinced that they cannot be placed in better hands than those of the Lord Provost and councillors of my good city of Edinburgh.”

Each year, the monarch traditionally spends a week at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, known as Holyrood Week or Royal Week in Scotland.

This year’s Easter Week is shorter than in previous years because the general election has caused the royal family to postpone any engagements “that might appear to divert attention or distract from the election campaign”.

Ahead of the ceremony, the palace garden was transformed into a parade ground, where the King met senior military and uniformed figures, including Chief Constable of Scotland Jo Farrell, before receiving a royal salute and inspecting a Guard of Honour of soldiers from the Balaklava Company, 5th Scots.

Also aligned was the Royal Company of Archers, which served as the sovereign’s ceremonial bodyguard in Scotland—a role first created in 1822 for King George VI.

The Band of the Royal Regiment of Scotland and the Bagpipes and Drums of the 2nd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland were on parade for the occasion.

The King walked past the Guard of Honor, glanced at the soldiers and stopped to talk to some of them, and also chatted with members of the military bands.

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