King welcomed to Scotland in Ceremony of the Keys at Palace of Holyroodhouse
The monarch inspected the guard of honour before joining the procession of the Queen’s coffin to St Giles’ Cathedral.
Your support helps us to tell the story
This election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.
The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.
Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.
In his first official engagement as King of Scotland, Charles III arrived at his official residence for an ancient ceremony at the Palace of Holyroodhouse.
The monarch was in Edinburgh for the historic Ceremony of the Keys.
Upon his arrival, the King inspected the Guard of Honour and was welcomed to Edinburgh by Lord Provost Robert Aldridge, where he was symbolically handed the keys to the city.
The Queen Consort accompanied the monarch at the ceremony.
Tradition dictates that the monarch returns them, entrusting their safekeeping to the city’s elected officials.
The Queen had been lying in rest in the Palace’s throne room following her death on Thursday.
The ceremony was last held in June as the Queen arrived in Edinburgh to open a week of traditional events for the royals in Scotland.
The trip followed the Platinum Jubilee celebrations for Elizabeth II.
Following the ceremony, Charles joined the procession of the Queen’s coffin to St Giles’ Cathedral.
The King was joined by his siblings Anne, Andrew and Edward as the Queen’s coffin travelled up the Royal Mile to St Giles’ Cathedral.
The streets were lined with thousands of well-wishers paying their respects.
Members of the royal family then accompanied the King at a special service of thanksgiving to celebrate the Queen’s life.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.