King Charles has officially kicked off his annual Holyrood Week, arriving in Edinburgh to a royal welcome steeped in pageantry and Scottish tradition.
The monarch is spending a week at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, his official residence in Scotlandnwhere he’ll carry out a series of engagements and ceremonial duties celebrating Scottish culture, communities, and heritage.
Upon arrival, the King was greeted with the stirring sounds of pipes and drums before receiving the Royal Salute and inspecting the Guard of Honour provided by The Royal Company of Archers, his ceremonial bodyguard in Scotland.
One of the most symbolic moments of the visit was the Ceremony of the Keys, a tradition that formally welcomes the sovereign to the capital.
Lord Provost Robert Aldridge presented the Keys to the City of Edinburgh to King Charles, who then returned them with a time honoured gesture, entrusting them once again to the city’s care.
While King Charles is in Scotland for Holyrood Week, he takes up residence in one of the country’s most iconic royal landmarks the 289-room Palace of Holyroodhouse.
Nestled at the end of Edinburgh’s historic Royal Mile, the palace is steeped in nearly a millennium of history.
Originally founded as a monastery in 1128, it was transformed into a royal residence in the early 16th century when King James IV cleared ground near the abbey to build a palace for himself and his bride, Margaret Tudor sister to England’s Henry VIII.
Successive monarchs expanded the residence, including James V, who added the striking tower that still stands today and redesigned parts of the west front between 1528 and 1536.
Over the centuries, the palace has seen royal drama, dynastic power plays, and sweeping architectural changes.
In the 20th century, King George V and Queen Mary brought the palace into the modern era with updates including bathrooms, electricity, and even lifts ensuring that it remained both functional and majestic.
Today, the Palace of Holyroodhouse remains the official residence of the British monarch in Scotland, continuing a royal tradition that spans over 500 years.
During Holyrood Week, it serves not just as a royal home, but as the ceremonial heart of the monarchy’s deep-rooted connection to Scotland.