Holyrood Week

Published 29 June 2022

Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh

On Wednesday, The Duke of Rothesay visited the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, his first visit since becoming the College’s Patron; having taken over the Patronage from his father, The Duke of Edinburgh, who had been the College’s Patron since 1954.

During the tour, The Duke of Rothesay previewed a new bronze sculpture by Kenny Hunter, entitled ‘Your Next Breath’, which is believed to be the first sculpture in Scotland to commemorate NHS workers’ contribution during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh is the oldest Surgical College in the world, having been founded in 1505 by Royal Charter granted from King James IV. It has just under 30,000 members in 100 countries, almost half of whom are overseas, touching every stage of the career path from medical student to consultant.

The College’s headquarters, Surgeons Hall, is a category A listed building designed by William Henry Playfair in 1832. The College also has a second site in Birmingham’s prestigious Colmore Row and a third International office in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to meet the needs of its growing international membership.

Palace of Holyroodhouse Garden Party

The Duke of Rothesay, The Earl and Countess of Wessex and Forfar and The Princess Royal hosted a Garden Party at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, where guests were recognised for their positive contributions to communities across Scotland.

Order of the Thistle

The Duke of Rothesay and The Princess Royal, both Royal Knights of the Thistle, attended the Thistle Service at St Giles’ Cathedral.

The Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle is the greatest order of chivalry in Scotland, recognising sixteen Knights and Ladies with the highest honour in the country for people holding public office or significantly contributing to national life.

Upon arrival at the cathedral, The Duke of Rothesay and The Princess Royal received a Royal Salute from The Queen’s Body Guard for Scotland, the Royal Company of Archers. Before processing into the Cathedral, Their Royal Highnesses were met by the Minister of St Giles’ Cathedral and the Chancellor of the Thistle.

Reddendo Parade

Alongside Her Majesty The Queen, The Duke of Rothesay also attended the Reddendo Parade of the Royal Company of Archers – who are The Queen’s Body Guard in Scotland – which took place in the gardens of the Palace of Holyroodhouse.

This year’s Reddendo Parade marked the Royal Company’s Bicentennial, having been founded in 1822 during a visit by King George IV, and was the largest gathering of the Sovereign’s Body Guard in its history, with 25 officers and 298 Archers on parade.

The Queen and The Duke of Rothesay were met in the garden by the Captain General of the Royal Company of Archers, The Duke of Buccleuch, before receiving a Royal Salute. His Royal Highness then inspected the Royal Company with the Parade Commander.

On completion of the inspection, Her Majesty was presented with the ‘Reddendo’, a gift traditionally given by the Royal Company to the Sovereign, as a display of loyalty in return for certain privileges.