Prince William And Kate Just Arrived At King Charles’s Second Coronation
Kate Middleton and Prince William have stepped out for King Charles’ coronation celebration in Scotland!
On Wednesday, the Prince and Princess of Wales, both 41, appeared in Edinburgh for the National Service of Thanksgiving and Dedication held in honor of the King’s crowning in London on May 6. Prince William and Princess Kate traveled north to support King Charles and Queen Camilla on the important day, the highlight of the first Royal Week of the new royal reign.
Charles, 74, and Camilla, 75, are continuing Queen Elizabeth’s tradition of spending a special week in Scotland each year, known locally as Royal Week, according to the royal website. The couple also follows in her footsteps by celebrating their historic coronation with a second set of festivities in Scotland.
The pomp kicked off when King Charles, Queen Camilla, Prince William and Princess Kate traveled by car from the Palace of the Holyroodhouse, the British sovereign’s official Scottish residence, to St. Giles’ Cathedral for the National Service of Thanksgiving. Around the same time, a People’s Procession transported the Honours of Scotland — a historic suite of royal regalia — from Edinburgh Castle to the cathedral.
Prince William, who previously flew helicopters for the RAF Search and Rescue Force, wore the uniform of the Royal Air Force with a garter sash and the Order of the Thistle robe. The Order of the Thistle is the greatest order of chivalry in Scotland. The Prince of Wales also wore his RAF wings and four medals representing the Golden Jubilee, Diamond Jubilee, Platinum Jubilee and coronation.
Meanwhile, Princess Kate wore a blue coat by Catherine Walker, previously worn in 2022 for the Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey and for Easter this year, with a Philip Treacy hat. She accessorized with a necklace from the late Queen Elizabeth’s jewelry collection.
William and Kate are known as the Duke and Duchess of Rothesay in Scotland, titles inherited from Charles and Camilla after Queen Elizabeth’s death in September. The Prince and Princess of Wales also hold the Scottish titles of Earl and Countess of Strathearn, which they received on their 2011 wedding day — however, they now use the higher-ranking Rothesay titles.
During the church service, the King will be presented with the Honours of Scotland, a historic suite including the crown of King James V of Scotland, a sceptre and a sword of state.
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When the National Service of Thanksgiving and Dedication comes to a close, 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 soar overheard for a flypast. The traditions are reminiscent of the pageantry on the May 6 coronation day, which saw Charles and Camilla symbolically crowned by the Archbishop of Canterbury in Westminster Abbey.
Exactly one month after the crowning ceremony, the Scottish government announced that King Charles and Queen Camilla’s coronation would be commemorated in Edinburgh on July 5.
“Scotland will welcome the new King and Queen in July with a series of events to mark the Coronation. A People’s Procession, a Royal Procession, a National Service of Thanksgiving and a Gun Salute will take place in Edinburgh,” First Minister Humza Yousaf said in a statement. “Representatives from many different communities and organizations in Scotland will take part in these historic events. People who wish to mark this historic occasion can get involved by watching broadcast coverage or viewing events in person.”
While Prince William and Princess Kate made their Royal Week debut at the National Service of Thanksgiving and Dedication on Wednesday, King Charles has been in Scotland for days.