Holyrood week – The Queen hosts Garden Party & meets veterans

The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh have begun Holyrood week in Edinburgh, and today met Scottish veterans.

Her Majesty was welcomed in a Ceremony of the Keys on Tuesday, where the Lord Provost gave The Queen the keys of the city. There was also a Guard of honour (Fire Support Company, The Royal Highland Fusiliers, 2nd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland) which Her Majesty inspected. Bagpipes and drums supported the event.

In keeping with tradition, The Queen then handed them back, entrusting their safekeeping to the city’s elected officials.

Each year, Holyrood week is undertaken to celebrate Scottish culture, history and achievement, and on her second day, The Queen hosted an investiture. Recipients included

Later that day, the First Minister of Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon, Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament, Tricia Marwick and the Lord High Commissioner Sir James Hope met with The Queen at the Palace of Holyroodhouse.

A Garden Party, the only one to be hosted outside of London was also held, and The Earl of Wessex and The Princess Royal travelled north of the border to attend. Guests included staff and volunteers from the Scottish Ambulance Service, as well as those who work in the Scottish Youth Parliament.

Today, The Queen and Prince Philip visited the Scottish Veterans’ Garden City Association’s new housing development for disabled veterans, which is in its centenary year.

A national appeal by the charity, also known as Houses for Heroes, was launched in 2008, in the hope of building 60 new homes for veterans with disabilities. Her Majesty, patron of the SVGCA, got to speak with those the scheme has helped, and those who work for the charity’s benefit.

Chief executive Peter Minshall said: “The Queen is patron of the SVGCA and she came here to visit the disabled veterans that we have been housing since 1915 – this is our centenary. She also came to acknowledge the volunteers.”

Her Majesty marked the visit by planting a tree and unveiling a commemorative stone.

 

Feature image: Still from British Monarchy Youtube video

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