Key Points
- King Charles and Queen Camilla visited Edinburgh on Saturday for the opening of the Scottish Parliament.
- Queen Camilla wore a vibrant red kilt and a khaki green jacket, while the King also wore a tartan kilt.
- The ceremony began with the Crown of Scotland being escorted down the Royal Mile from Edinburgh Castle.
- The Crown was taken into Parliament alongside the Elizabeth Sword through a guard of honour made up of young people.
- The debating chamber ceremony featured the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland brass ensemble, the mace, crown and sword procession, and participation from Team Scotland athletes.
- Young people from organisations including the Scottish Youth Parliament, RNIB Scotland and the Young Women’s Movement joined the procession.
- The King formally opened the parliamentary session after remarks from Presiding Officer Kenneth Gibson.
- First Minister John Swinney is due to respond to the King’s address.
- The event included cultural performances from the National Youth Choir of Scotland, the National Theatre of Scotland and poets and musicians from across Scotland.
- The royal couple are also expected to meet local heroes nominated by MSPs for their contribution to communities.
Royal Mile (Edinburgh Daily) June 27, 2026 – King Charles and Queen Camilla honoured Scotland’s traditional dress code on Saturday as His Majesty opened the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh. Queen Camilla appeared in a vibrant red kilt and a khaki green jacket, while the King also wore a tartan kilt for the ceremonial visit.
As reported by Hello! Magazine, the Queen’s outfit was designed in keeping with the country’s traditional style, pairing the kilt with a green hat that matched her jacket. The King and Queen arrived for a day of formal proceedings that combined royal pageantry, parliamentary ritual and Scottish cultural performance.
The ceremony began with the Crown of Scotland being escorted down the uk/local/royal-mile/">Royal Mile from Edinburgh Castle before being taken into Parliament with the Elizabeth Sword. A guard of honour made up of young people lined the procession, adding a strong civic element to the occasion.
How did the Scottish Parliament opening begin?
The opening of the parliamentary session was marked by a ceremonial procession inside the debating chamber, where the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland brass ensemble performed fanfare. The mace, crown and sword were then carried into the chamber in a procession that also featured three Team Scotland athletes preparing for the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow this summer.
According to the report, Officers of Arms were joined by young people from a range of organisations, including the Scottish Youth Parliament, RNIB Scotland and the Young Women’s Movement. The Crown of Scotland is to be carried in by the Duke of Hamilton and Brandon, escorted by the Lord Lyon King of Arms.
After Presiding Officer Kenneth Gibson delivered his opening remarks, the King addressed the chamber to formally open the parliamentary session. First Minister John Swinney is then expected to respond to the King’s address, continuing the constitutional sequence that marks the start of parliamentary business.
Which performances are part of the ceremony?
The programme also includes special performances for the King and Queen that reflect Scotland’s cultural life. The National Youth Choir of Scotland’s Edinburgh regional choir and BSL youth choir are scheduled to perform Sarah Quartel’s The Beat Of A Different Drum, adding a musical element to the occasion.
The King and Queen will also watch a performance from the National Theatre of Scotland, which is marking its 20th anniversary. The production As Others See Us, written and directed by Martin O’Connor, will be presented alongside a poem celebrating the theatre’s anniversary and an excerpt from Through The Shortbread Tin performed by members of The Lyceum Youth Theatre.
There will also be poetry and traditional music. Scotland’s Makar, Pàdraig MacAoidh, will deliver a Gaelic poem titled Let This Hall Be Full Of Noises, while harpist Rachel Groves and vocalist Ellie Beaton will perform Robert Burns’s Ae Fond Kiss.
What happens after the chamber ceremony?
Following the formal parliamentary opening, the King and Queen are due to meet local heroes nominated by MSPs for their “extraordinary contribution” to local communities. This part of the visit adds a public-facing element to the day and links the ceremonial occasion to everyday civic service.
The programme shows how the visit blends constitutional symbolism with Scottish identity, youth participation and the arts. It also places the monarchy within a wider national framework, where the opening of Parliament is not only a political moment but also a cultural one.
Background of the development
The opening of the Scottish Parliament is a major ceremonial event that marks the start of a new parliamentary session. It traditionally involves the Crown of Scotland, the Elizabeth Sword and other symbols of state being brought into the chamber in a formal procession.
Royal attendance at the opening reinforces the constitutional link between the monarchy and Scotland’s devolved institutions. The ceremony also provides an opportunity to showcase Scottish cultural groups, young people and community representatives alongside the political leadership.
What could this mean for audiences?
For royal watchers, the appearance of Queen Camilla in tartan and the King in a kilt reinforces the monarchy’s use of ceremonial dress to reflect Scottish tradition. For the Scottish public, the day highlights how the opening of Parliament is designed to combine authority, symbolism and cultural participation.
For viewers interested in politics, the event signals the formal start of parliamentary business under the new session. For those following cultural life, the performances from choirs, poets and theatre groups show how the ceremony also serves as a national showcase for Scottish talent.
