The Prince and Princess of Wales have arrived in Edinburgh to mark King Charles and Queen Camilla’s Scottish Coronation.
The royal couple were seen arriving at St Giles’ Cathedral, where Charles and Camilla will be presented with the Honours of Scotland, the Scottish crown jewels, at 2.15 pm.
The Crown, the Sceptre and the Sword of State were pictured travelling by car under military guard after leaving Edinburgh Castle at 1.40pm.
The earlier People’s Procession set off from the castle esplanade at 1.15pm, with participants chosen to reflect all walks of life in Scotland.
However, anti-monarchy activists could be heard booing and shouting ‘Not My King’ from a protest spot just yards from the procession route – leading to criticism from royalists who believe they should have been given a less prominent spot.
Earlier footage showed the republicans being greeted with an equally loud response from supporters of the Royal Family chanting ‘Charles King of Scots’ while waving Union flags.
The Scottish Coronation celebrations began today with a People’s Procession that set off down the Royal Mile from Edinburgh Castle at 1.15pm
Anti-monarchy activists could be heard booing and shouting ‘Not My King’ from a protest spot just yards from the procession route
The honours of Scotland – the country’s crown jewels – leave Edinburgh Castle in a procession to St Giles’s Cathedral for a service to honour the King and Queen
The Crown, the Sceptre and the Sword of State travelled by car under military guard
The Prince and Princess of Wales, known as the Duke and Duchess of Rothesay in Scotland, will be among those at the coronation ceremony as will the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh.
Scotland’s First Minister Humza Yousaf will give a reading during the service, while others attending from the world of politics include Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar and Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton
The service will feature centuries-old aspects of Scottish royal tradition along with new additions such as pieces of music written specially for the occasion, a psalm sung in Gaelic and the use of passages from the New Testament in Scots.
The Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, Rt Rev Sally Foster-Fulton, will preach the sermon and then provide a blessing to close the service.
Others involved will include violinist Nicola Benedetti, who will be among the musicians playing, and Olympic rower Dame Katherine Grainger who will carry the Elizabeth Sword which is being used in place of the Sword of State.
Among the congregation will be individuals from the People’s Procession, a group around 100-strong reflecting all aspects of Scottish society from the arts and politics, to education, civil society and business, including charities which the King supports as patron.
Among those represented were NHS Scotland, celebrating its 75th anniversary, the Robert Burns World Federation, College of Master Kilt Tailors, the Scottish Parliament, the Prince’s Trust, Glasgow Life – museums and the Trades Houses of Scotland, from coopers to goldsmiths.
A general view of the Combined Cadet Force Pipes and Drums and the Cadet Military Band as they proceed down the Royal Mile
The Kings Life Guard of the Household Cavalry march down the Royal Mile this afternoon
Members of the Royal Company of Archers leave the Palace of Holyroodhouse
The Royal Company of Archers are the King’s official bodyguard while he is in Scotland
An aerial photo showing massed bands processing down the Royal Mile in Edinburgh today
A group of mounted soldiers pass thousands of people who had gathered to witness the historic moment
The members of the People’s Procession were chosen to reflect all walks of life in Scotland
Members of the People’s Procession – pictured here – were chosen to represent all walks of life in Scotland
Those taking part in the procession down the Royal Mile included community volunteers and NHS workers
Leader of the House of Commons Penny Mordaunt arrives for the National Service of Thanksgiving and Dedication for King Charles III and Queen Camilla
Scotland’s First Minister Humza Yousaf (left) will give a reading during the service
Major General Alastair Bruce, governor of Edinburgh Castle, watched the people’s procession set off from the fortress’ esplanade, and it was joined by four mounted elements of the Scots Dragoon Guards, the Pipes & Drums of Robert Gordon’s Combined Cadet Force and the 51 Brigade Cadet Military Band.
Crowds lining crash barriers along the royal mile to watch Corporal Cruachan IV, the Shetland pony regimental mascot of The Royal Regiment of Scotland, leading the men of women in the procession.
The Honours of Scotland, crown, sword of state and sceptre, will soon follow escorted by military personnel from across the Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force and the Royal Company of Archers, who act as the King’s body guard in Scotland.
Three sisters, Julie Avery, 51, from Birmingham, Karen Shortiss, 54, from Penicuik, Midlothian, and Linda Halfpenny, 67, from New Zealand, were among those gathered along the Royal Mile to see Charles and Camilla.
Well wishers on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh ahead of King Charles’ Scottish Coronation
Onlookers waving Union flags were interspersed with anti-monarchy protesters holding ‘Not My King’ banners
Members of the public wait outside St Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh, where the main ceremony will take place
Mrs Halfpenny has lived in New Zealand for 42 years and is in Britain to see her two sisters.
Her time at home coincided with Charles and Camilla’s visit to Scotland, so she phoned her sisters and asked if they could attend the event with her.
Mrs Avery said: ‘Linda is over here visiting and last week she sent me a message asking if I could have Wednesday off and could I come up, so I said ‘Yes alright.’
‘I came up last night and I’ll go home tomorrow morning to go to work tomorrow afternoon.’
Mrs Shortiss said: ‘We’ll spend the day together as well.’
Mrs Halfpenny said she had ‘come a long way’ and the sisters wanted a ‘good position’ to be able to see the royal procession.
Also in the crowd were four women from Italy, wearing fascinators and carrying royal family teacups.
Members of the public wait outside St Giles’ Cathedral ahead of the historic ceremony
There is tight security on the Royal Mile to try to stop the procession being interrupted by protesters
They are on a business trip in Scotland and came along at midnight yesterday to scope out their position in the crowd, but arrived at 8.30am today.
Ciara, from Bologna, said: ‘We like the royal family and we want to share with our community to show what happened.’
Paula, also from Bologna, added: ‘We want to show our support to the new King.’
Elsewhere in the crowd was Margaret Jenkins, 62, from East Lothian, who said: ‘I’m excited to see King Charles, my King, and I know not everyone would agree.’
Anne Connolly, 65, from South Shields, said: ‘It’s a good day out. We’re looking forward to seeing the King and Camilla.’
Referring to an area fenced off for protesters outside the cathedral, she said: ‘They’ve given the protesters the best spot here, the best view. It isn’t fair.’
Supporters of the monarchy gathered alongside republicans before King Charles and Queen Camilla’s Scottish Coronation in Edinburgh today
The two groups stood alongside each other separated by small groups of stewards
Anti-monarchy activists chanting ‘Not My King’ were met with Union flag waving royal fans
Protesters gathered outside the High Court building holding placards saying ‘Not My King’.
One of the protesters said that the royal family is a ‘symbol of the state the country is in’.
She said: ‘They are a classic example of people who have too much when people have so little.
‘It’s not a personal thing against the King, but it is a democratic disgrace that he has this unelected position in a modern country.’
She said protesters had received an ‘absolutely fabulous’ response from passers-by.
She added: ‘It’s mostly tourists and they all find it very strange that we still have this odd constitutional quirk.’
Supporters of the Royal Family gathered in Edinburgh today alongside a crowd of anti-monarchy protesters (left)
One man outside St Giles’ Cathedral held a sign reading ‘only the tourists are cheering’
Another controversially branded King Charles III ‘king of the tax dodgers’.
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