Holyrood Week 2025

Tuesday 1st July

Known in Scotland as 'Royal Week', and to others as 'Holyrood Week', the week celebrates Scottish culture, achievement and community. 

Read more about Holyrood Week. 

The traditional Ceremony of the Keys has taken place in the gardens of the Palace of Holyroodhouse, marking the start of Royal Week.

The ceremony marks the official welcoming of The King into the city of Edinburgh, 'your ancient and hereditary kingdom of Scotland' by the Lord Provost, who offers him the keys of the city. 

His Majesty met Service Chiefs before receiving a Royal Salute and inspecting the Balaklava Company, 5 SCOTS Guard of Honour.

The King held an Investiture at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, whilst The Queen opened the recently rebuilt Ratho Library to mark a new initiative launched by the Edinburgh International Book Festival in partnership with Edinburgh City Libraries.   

Inside the library, Her Majesty witnessed the facility's community impact firsthand meeting members of the Citizen Collective Young People's Writers Programme.   

Her Majesty met volunteers from the Royal Voluntary Service's Home Library initiative, Housebound. Volunteers take books to the homes of those who cannot otherwise access a library - the scheme has been running for over 60 years.

In the afternoon, The King and Queen hosted guests at a Garden Party.

Guests, who have made a significant contribution to Scottish life, were invited to spend a relaxed afternoon in the beautiful grounds of the Palace, accompanied by music from regimental bands and The Royal Scottish Pipers Society. 

Also in attendance were The Royal Company of Archers, who are The King's official bodyguards in Scotland. Since 1822, the Company have been available for duty to The Sovereign anywhere in Scotland. 

Wednesday 2nd July

Their Majesties The King and Queen visited Kirkcaldy to mark the centenary of the Kirkcaldy War Memorial. The memorial was made possible by a significant donation to the town by a prominent local businessman, John Nairn, one hundred years ago. The gift was made in memory of Mr Nairn’s son, Ian, who was killed in action in France a few months before the end of the First World War.

Upon arrival, Their Majesties were greeted by Mr Bill Mason, Chair of the Kirkcaldy British Legion, who introduced them to the sculptor responsible for creating the Commemorative Cairn. The cairn, designed as a time capsule for future generations, contained meaningful items contributed by local young people, symbolising the connection between past, present and future. Their Majesties were invited to unveil the cairn before proceeding along the pathway towards the War Memorial.

During the walk, The King and Queen met members of the public while enjoying music performed by a local brass band. At the memorial, Their Majesties joined a re-dedication service led by Mr Mason. His Majesty was invited to lay a wreath.

His Majesty visited Kirkcaldy Galleries, accompanied by Ms Heather Stuart, Chief Executive of Fife Cultural Trust, to view local artwork as the gallery marked its centenary year. The exhibition, A Century of Kirkcaldy Galleries, showcased the institution’s collections and highlighted the influential figures who have supported the community over the past 100 years.

During a community reception, His Majesty met representatives from key local organisations, including Fife Multibank an initiative founded by the Rt Hon Gordon Brown, providing essential goods to low-income families; the Cottage Family Centre, which supports families vulnerable to social exclusion; and The Hive, an LGBT+ community hub based in Kirkcaldy that works closely with the art gallery.

At Maggie’s Fife, Her Majesty The Queen was received by Dame Laura Lee, Chief Executive of Maggie’s, and Mrs Sarah Brown, Patron of the charity. Her Majesty also met NHS representatives, members of Maggie’s staff, and individuals supported by the organisation.

Following the Service of Thanksgiving and Vigil for Queen Elizabeth II, held on 12th and 13th September at St Giles’ Cathedral, a Memorial Stone was installed in the floor of the Cathedral.

The Memorial Stone, dedicated in the presence of Their Majesties The King and Queen, was placed to the east of the Holy Table, where the coffin of Her Late Majesty lay in state during her time in the Cathedral.

Crafted from simple black slate, the stone was engraved with the Scottish Crown and the ER cypher, along with the dates marking when the coffin rested in the Cathedral. The engraving was undertaken by Ms Roxanne Kindersley of the Cardozo Kindersley Workshop.

Upon arrival, Their Majesties were received by the Reverend Professor David Fergusson, Dean of the Chapel Royal in Scotland, and the Reverend Dr Scott Rennie, Minister of St Giles’. Their Majesties proceeded down the aisle to the site of the Memorial Stone and were introduced to the stone mason prior to the dedication.

For 30 years, Maggie’s has been a pioneer in cancer care, offering free psychological, emotional and practical support to all those living with cancer, as well as to their families and friends. Opened in 2006 on the grounds of Victoria Hospital, Maggie’s Fife was the first permanent building in the United Kingdom designed by the renowned architect, Dame Zaha Hadid.

Providing a welcoming space away from the hospital environment, Maggie’s Fife allows individuals to connect with others who understand their experiences. Within this setting, Maggie’s professionals offer guidance to help people navigate the complexities of a cancer diagnosis — support that has been shown to improve quality of life throughout all stages of cancer.

The Queen’s Nursing Institute Scotland is a charity committed to providing high quality professional development opportunities for Scotland’s community nurses and midwives. The charity supports them in working collaboratively with those they care for to tackle health inequalities.

Founded in 1889 with a donation from Queen Victoria, QNIS originally organised the training of District Nurses across Scotland until the late 1960s, enabling them to care for people in their own homes and communities, with a particular focus on those unable to afford a private nurse or hospital. Nurses who qualified from the Institute were known as Queen’s Nurses and went on to serve communities across Scotland.

Her Majesty The Queen, as Patron of QNIS, met current and former nurses, supporters and volunteers responsible for delivering the organisation’s work.

Thursday 3rd July

The King visited Campbeltown, one of Scotland's most remote mainland towns situated on the Kintyre peninsula. Once described as the whisky capital of the world with 34 distilleries, Campbeltown is now experiencing a programme of regeneration, led by local businesses and charitable organisations.  

At Campbeltown’s Tartan Kirk, now Heritage Centre, His Majesty joined locals at the farmers’ market. The market serves as a vital gathering point for the local community, showcasing regional specialities including artisanal cheese, beef, fish, whisky and fresh produce. 

During the visit, The King spoke to stall holders, community farming representatives and whisky distillery owners, and observe a traditional sheep-shearing demonstration.  

The King attended a reception at Campbeltown Town Hall, where he met invited guests and representatives from local charities delivering vital services to the community.

Among those in attendance were representatives from the Kintyre Foodbank, the South Kintyre Development Trust, Argyll and Bute Women’s Aid, and members of the local Women’s Rural Institutes. These organisations provide essential support and resources to the wider community, particularly to vulnerable residents.

His Majesty also met representatives from Glengyle and Glen Scotia Distilleries, whose efforts have played a significant role in the town’s economic revival. Their contributions reflect both the challenges and the opportunities associated with Campbeltown’s distinctive cultural heritage and remote location.

During the visit, His Majesty spoke with members of the Machrihanish Airbase Community Company, which is leading the transformation of the former Ministry of Defence airbase for the benefit of the local population. His Majesty also met with representatives of a social enterprise dedicated to the regeneration and reopening of Campbeltown’s historic cinema, in support of the town’s cultural renewal.

Set against the spectacular backdrop of Campbeltown Loch, and welcomed by the music of the Campbeltown Pipe Band, His Majesty The King spoke with representatives of the local fishing industry.

During the visit to the Quay, His Majesty also met members of the RNLI, Sea Cadets, Guides and Scouts. His Majesty learned about the important roles these organisations play in the life of the community, and the valuable contributions they make to local society.