King Charles is having a party in Scotland before his second coronation celebration!
On Tuesday afternoon, the King and Queen Camilla welcomed guests to the Palace of the Holyroodhouse for a garden party. They had a little help hosting from another member of the royal family — Princess Anne! The soiree was announced in April and held the day before Charles and Camilla’s May 6 crowning is celebrated with special processions and a church service in Edinburgh.
Garden parties are a rich royal tradition, and the British monarch typically hosts multiple garden parties at Buckingham Palace and one at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, their official royal residence in Scotland, each summer. King Charles, 74, held the first garden party of the summer season at Buckingham Palace on May 3 with Queen Camilla, 75.
“Established during the reign of Queen Victoria, Garden Parties are an important way for members of the Royal Family to speak to a broad range of people from all walks of life, all of whom have made a positive impact in their community,” the royal family’s website states. “Invitations are distributed through a vast network of sponsors including Lord-Lieutenants, societies and associations, government departments, local governments, the Church, and religious groups who nominate guests in hopes of achieving “a representative cross section of the community.”
Over 30,000 people are invited to garden parties each year, Royal.UK states, where they’re treated to a relaxing summer afternoon. Guests will traditionally begin trickling in around 3 p.m., though the party doesn’t officially start until members of the royal family enter the gardens around 4 p.m.
The national anthem is played by a military band, and members of the royal family will move through designated “lanes” to chat with guests. The royals eventually make their way to the Royal Tea Tent to meet more people, and guests are invited to eat, drink and wander the palace gardens. Men usually wear morning dress or lounge suits while women wear day dress, usually paired with hats or fascinators. National dress and uniform are also welcome.
King Charles and Queen Camilla’s garden party at the Palace of the Holyroodhouse was part of Royal Week in Edinburgh. The couple continues Queen Elizabeth’s tradition of spending a special week in Scotland each year, which is also called Holyrood Week, the royal website states. The first Royal Week of Charles and Camilla’s reign will be highlighted by their second coronation celebration with a distinctly Scottish spin.
On June 6 — one month after the historic crowning ceremony in London — the Scottish government announced that another round of festivities would be held in Edinburgh on July 5 to mark the milestone. Prince William and Kate Middleton — a.k.a. the Duke and Duchess of Rothesay, as they are called in Scotland! — will also be in attendance.
On Wednesday, the ritual will begin with the collection of the Honours of Scotland — a historic suite including the crown of King James V of Scotland, a sceptre and a sword of state — from Edinburgh Castle. The Honours will be collected by a People’s Procession, “involving around 100 people representing aspects of Scottish life,” the government statement said, and move to St Giles Cathedral for a National Service of Thanksgiving and Dedication.
The march will be escorted by the Royal Regiment of Scotland and Corporal Cruachan IV — the unit’s adorable Shetland pony mascot! — while cadet musicians from the Combined Cadet Force Pipes and Drums and 51 Brigade Cadet Military Band perform.
Around the same time, a Royal Procession will also move from the Palace of Holyroodhouse to St. Giles. Members of the public will be able to watch both processions along the Royal Mile. Inside the cathedral, King Charles will be presented with the Honours of Scotland during the National Service of Thanksgiving.
At the end of the church service, a 21-gun salute will be fired from Edinburgh Castle. The Royal Procession will then move back to the Palace of Holyroodhouse, and the Red Arrows of the Royal Air Force will perform a flypast overhead — just like at the May 6 coronation.
Seventy years ago, Queen Elizabeth was honored in Scotland with a similar coronation celebration a few weeks after her crowning at Westminster Abbey. Prince Philip was by her side, the first fête of its kind in a few generations. A Scottish celebration for a British monarch’s coronation had not been held since King George IV in 1822.
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