Preparations are in full swing: as part of Holyrood Week in Edinburgh, King Charles III. (74) Crowned again on July 5th. From 1:15 p.m. local time (2:15 p.m. German time), the Scottish capital will be under the sign of the crown: In addition to the festive ceremony in St. Giles Cathedral, a large procession with a bagpipe band, military horses and aerobatic demonstrations are also planned. Here are the details of the next major royal event.
One may wonder about this renewed coronation. After all, Charles was officially declared sovereign after the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II (1926-2022), and was crowned in a lavish ceremony on May 6 in London. Strictly speaking, the ceremony in Edinburgh is not a coronation, reminds “ABC News” in a report. Rather, it is intended to symbolize the bond between the royal family and the Scottish people. This goes back to a long tradition that began in the 17th century. When King Charles I was crowned at Westminster Abbey in 1625, the Scottish Parliament also required a ceremony in the north. In 1633 this demand was fulfilled with his coronation in Edinburgh. From 1822 the tradition was suspended. It was only resumed in 1953 by Elizabeth II.
Edinburgh will see plenty of pomp and pageantry on Wednesday afternoon. The celebrations begin at around 2:15pm (UK time) when a people’s procession leaves Edinburgh Castle towards St Giles Cathedral. Around 100 people from all walks of Scottish life will take part in the procession along the Royal Mile, arriving at the historic church at around 2:30pm. They are accompanied by the Royal Regiment of Scotland and a cadet military band.
At 2:40 p.m., the Scottish crown jewels – the “Honors of Scotland” – are brought to the church in a vehicle. They are accompanied by the King’s Guards and an Honor Guard made up of members of the Navy, Army and Royal Air Force.
The royal procession, with Charles and his wife Camilla, 75, leaves their official Scottish residence, Holyroodhouse, at around 3:05pm.
At 3:15 p.m. the thanksgiving and dedication service is to begin in St. Giles Cathedral. During the hour-long ceremony, Charles will be awarded the “Honours of Scotland”. 21 royal gun salutes are then planned from Edinburgh Castle. The Royal Air Force flyby will conclude the event at approximately 4:40 p.m. in the sky.
The top royals of the British royal family are expected at the Scottish ceremony: in addition to Charles and Camilla, heir to the throne Prince William (41) and his wife Kate (41) are also expected to take part. They are known in Scotland as the Duke and Duchess of Rothesay. It is not yet known whether her three children will also be seen.
Many charities, groups and organizations will be represented in the people’s procession. These include Royal Mail workers, refugees, ambulance workers and representatives of the Scottish Parliament. Then there are the members of the military. And during the thanksgiving service there will be a special surprise for Charles: Three bagpipe players from his former Scottish private school Gordonstoun will play for him.
The term “Honours of Scotland” denotes a trio of royal regalia: the crown of Scotland, the sword of state and a sceptre. It is the oldest regalia in Britain and is normally on display at Edinburgh Castle. The 1540 crown consists in part of the gold circlet with which Robert the Bruce was crowned King of Scotland in 1306. The 1494 scepter was a gift from Pope Julius II (1443-1513).
As the BBC reported, a new sword will be deployed on July 5th. Because the old piece from the 16th century is now too fragile. That is why the “Elizabeth Sword”, named after the late Queen, was commissioned. It is said to have cost around €25,000 and was made by Scottish artisans.
At the service, Lady Katherine Grainger (47) will carry the sword, Lady Dorrian (66) the scepter and the Duke of Hamilton (45) the crown.
70 years ago, Queen Elizabeth II arrived by train with her husband Prince Philip (1921-2021) and was greeted with joy at the station. In an open carriage, the couple took part in the procession up the Royal Mile, escorted by the Royal Company of Archers.
Elizabeth II received the Scottish crown jewels in front of 1,700 guests in St. Giles Cathedral. She wore no ceremonial robes to the ceremony. This was to avoid the service being interpreted as the coronation. Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh wore a Field Marshal’s uniform.
69 years after the crown of Scotland was placed on the young Queen’s head, it was used after her death: when the coffin was laid out in St. Giles in September 2022, the crown was lying on it.
In contrast to the coronation on May 6th in London, there are no special programs on German television. The British broadcaster BBC One will broadcast the event live – you can also watch it streamed via BBC News.
