On Saturday at The Scottish Parliament the King attended the official opening of the Seventh Session of The Scottish Parliament.
The Presiding Officer welcomed Their Majesties who took the short journey to the Queensberry House entrance of The Scottish Parliament in a Rolls Royce where they were welcomed by the Rt Hon Lord Provost, Robert Aldridge and the Presiding Officer, Kenneth Gibson.
The event included several performances celebrating Scotland’s rich culture and heritage. The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland Brass Ensemble performed a Fanfare composed by Sir James McMillan, KT, CBE, conducted by John Logan.
The Officers of Arms were accompanied by young people from the organisation, Young Scot, the Scottish Youth Parliament, RNIB Scotland (Haggeye), the John Smith Centre Parliamentary Internship Programme, sportscotland’s Young People’s Sport panel and the Young Women’s Movement.
The Crown of Scotland was escorted from Edinburgh Castle and was placed in the chamber during the ceremony. It was borne by the Duke of Hamilton and Brandon escorted by The Lord Lyon King of Arms, Dr Joseph Morrow.
Opening remarks were made by the Presiding Officer, Kenneth Gibson, His Majesty the King addressed the chamber and the First Minister, John Swinney responded.
Scotland’s Makar received a poem in Gaelic called Let This Hall be Full of Noises.
Rachel Groves performed Ae Fond Kiss on the clarsach and Ellie Beaton sang. They are the current as previous winners of the BBC radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year.
The Parliament’s piper, Stuart McMillan, MSP, played Bonnie Dundee and A Hundred Pipers from the Members’ Garden to close the event.
This was followed by a reception at which Their Majesties met special guests who had been chosen to represent constituencies and regions across the country. These ‘local heroes’ were nominated to attend as a special guest of their MSP for making an extraordinary contribution to their community.
Their Royal Highnesses then left the building greeting the young people lining the route to an official car.
HM The Queen took the car after receiving a posy from Hope Keating, aged five from Girlguiding Scotland. Hope’s parents were standing just across the street and she can be seen giving them the thumbs up ahead of her important moment.
The King walked across the street and into the King’s Gallery to go back into The Palace of Holyroodhouse.
