King Charles – live: Two arrested after coronation protests on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile
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Multiple people were arrested outside a coronation service for King Charles and Queen Camilla in Edinburgh.
Two women were arrested in connection with a breach of the peace after allegedly attempting to climb over the safety barrier on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, Sky News reported.
King Charles was presented with the Crown of Scotland during a lavish ceremony at St Giles’ Cathedral today.
Queen Camilla and Prince William and Kate were in attendance, as well as the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh.
Protesters lined Edinburgh’s Royal Mile during the ceremony, including the Our Republic group, which campaigns for an elected head of state in Scotland.
“The vast majority of Scotland didn’t care to celebrate the coronation in May, with support for the monarchy at an all-time low in Scotland,” the group said in a statement.
“Charles’ perpetual need to celebrate his reign, with all the pomp and pageantry it requires, is a spit in the face to the people struggling with the cost of living.”
Charles III received a crown, a sceptre and a sword made of gold, silver and gems – known collectively as the Honours of Scotland.
Key Points
Protest scheduled outside Scottish Parliament amid coronation events
King Charles III to be presented with Scottish crown jewels at lavish ceremony
Two months after Charles III's coronation, Scotland hosts its own event to honor the new monarch
In pictures: Well-wishers stand along Royal Mile ahead of procession
Watch live as King Charles and Queen Camilla are crowned for second time in Scotland
13:24 , Martha Mchardy
Live: King Charles and Queen Camilla are crowned for second time in Scotland
Two arrested after coronation protests on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile
16:20 , Martha Mchardy
Multiple people were arrested outside a coronation service for King Charles and Queen Camilla in Edinburgh.
Two women were arrested in connection with a breach of the peace after allegedly attempting to climb over the safety barrier on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, Sky News reported.
In pictures: Red Arrows flypast after service finishes
15:54 , Martha Mchardy
Fly-past begins
15:47 , Martha Mchardy
The King and Queen and Prince William and Kate are at Holyroodhouse Palace to watch the RAF fly-past.
What is the Stone of Destiny?
15:36 , Martha Mchardy
The Stone of Destiny, also known as the Stone of Scone, was used for the coronation of Scots kings for hundreds of years before being seized by Edward I of England in 1296, during the Wars of Independence, and taken to Westminster Abbey.
The stone remained in England for 700 years and formed part of the coronation chair on which kings and queens were crowned.
It was taken back to Scotland on Christmas Day in 1950 when four students from Glasgow broke into Westminster Abbey and took it.
The important historical symbol appeared a month later in Arbroath Abbey, before being returned to Westminster Abbey on 11 April 1951.
It was used for Queen Elizabeth’s coronation in 1953.
The stone was returned for permanent display in Scotland in 1996.
It was loaned back to England for King Charles’ coronation ceremony in London in May.
In pictures: King Charles presented with Crown of Scotland
15:22 , Martha Mchardy
National Anthem ends service
15:14 , Martha Mchardy
The ceremony is now over. All guests are the coronation stood to sing the National Anthem to close the ceremony.
“The worship is over, let the service begin,” the Right Reverend Sally Foster-Fulton said.
A gun salute sounded from Edinburgh Castle as the King and the Royal Family left St Giles’ Cathedral to travel back to Holyroodhouse where they will watch a fly-past.
Don’t leave planet ‘baking to a crisp’, King told at coronation
15:07 , Martha Mchardy
The King and Queen heard a stark environmental message for the planet to be safeguarded for future generations and not left “baking to a crisp”, as Scotland celebrated their coronation.
Charles was presented with the symbols of his authority in Scotland - the Crown, the Sceptre and the Sword of State - known as the Honours of Scotland during a day of pomp, pageantry and prayer in Edinburgh.
Scotland’s leading figures, and representatives from the nation’s life, gathered at St Giles’ Cathedral for a service of thanksgiving and dedication for the King and Queen, also attended by the Prince and Princess of Wales, known as the Duke and Duchess of Rothesay in Scotland, and the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh.
The Right Reverend Sally Foster-Fulton, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, delivered the sermon, which took the environment as one of its themes.
She told the congregation that society will be on the “right track” if we understand that “the Heavens and Earth” are not “human commodities or possessions”.
“Blessed are we, on the right track are we when we understand that our children do not inherit this Earth from us - we have borrowed it from them,” she said.
“And it is our duty to return it still singing and surging and bathing, not baking to a crisp.”
The Rt Rev Foster-Fulton concluded by telling the King and Queen: “Your Majesties, you have made it part of your mission to speak alongside creation, advocating for it. As we present the Honours of Scotland to you, we commit ourselves to walking that journey with you.
“We are all a small part of something so much bigger - this beautiful, sacred creation and everyone and everything in it. Thanks be to God.”
Pictures from the ceremony
15:03 , Martha Mchardy
Prayer for the King read out
14:55 , Martha Mchardy
Following the presentation of the honours of Scotland, a prayer was read out for King Charles by the Most Reverend Mark Strange, Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church.
“Lord Jesus Christ, who from everlasting rules over all earthly governors; we beseech you to strengthen our gracious Sovereign, King Charles, for the duties of the high estate to which you have called him,” he said.
“Exalt him that he may hold the Sceptre of salvation; enrich him with such gifts of your mercy as shall bring him holiness; and grant to him by your inspiration even so to rule his people in meekness and humility, as you did cause Solomon to obtain a kingdom of peace.”
Honours of Scotland presented to King
14:49 , Martha Mchardy
The honours of Scotland are being presented to the King.
The sword of state was presented to the King by Olympic rower Dame Katherine Grainger.
The sword is brand new because the existing 16th Century sword is too fragile to handle.
The King was also presented with the Crown of Scotland.
The crown was made for James V of Scotland, who first wore it at the Coronation of Queen Mary of Guise in 1540.
The sceptre was also presented to King Charles.
Mary Queen of Scots was the first to be crowned using the new crown and sceptre together, in 1543.
Pictures from St Giles' Cathedral
14:39 , Martha Mchardy
Pro-republic campaigners should talk about ‘smaller issues’, says Scottish Greens MSP
14:25 , Martha Mchardy
Scottish Greens MSP Patrick Harvie acknowledged there was still public support for the monarchy but said pro-republic campaigners should make the argument for “smaller issues”.
He told the PA news agency: “Republic and Our Republic have struck the right balance by continuing to make the case for the change they seek: an elected head of state.
“In the meantime, talk about some of the smaller issues that should be addressed for as long as the monarchy last like, for example, some of the tax loopholes they have that others.
Coronation service begins
14:21 , Martha Mchardy
The King and Queen Camilla have arrived at St Giles’ Cathedral as the coronation service begins.
The Duke and Duchess of Rothesay, Prince William and Kate, are also at the service.
In pictures: King Charles and Royal Family leave Palace of Holyroodhouse for coronation
14:18 , Martha Mchardy
King and Queen leave Palace of Holyroodhouse for coronation
14:12 , Martha Mchardy
The King and Queen have left the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh for a service of thanksgiving and dedication celebrating their coronation at St Giles’ Cathedral.
Charles and Camilla are travelling by car along the Royal Mile with a ceremonial military escort, including the Household Cavalry.
Crowds stood behind barriers to watch the King and Queen drive past.
‘Those who want elected head of state should be heard', says Scottish Green co-leader
14:10 , Martha Mchardy
Speaking at an ati-monarchy rally outside the Scottish Parliament today, Scottish Green Co-leader and minister Patrick Harvie said: “We can be a modern, democratic republic where the power of the head of state is elected rather than inherited. We can be a country where power lies with the people rather than with the archaic symbolism of the crown.”
“It’s really important for those who want an elected head of state to be heard.”
He said it is extraordinary to be “lavishing taxpayers’ money on some of the wealthiest people in the world so they can play some kind of Game of Thrones”.
He said: “Passing unearned wealth from generation to generation is fundamentally at odds with the democratic society we are trying to build.”
Top politicians attend coronation
14:05 , Martha Mchardy
Scotland’s top politicians including first minister Humza Yousaf, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar, and Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross, are attending the coronation today at St Giles’s Cathedral in Edinburgh.
Leader of the House of Commons Penny Mordaunt is also in attendance.
In pictures: Protesters line Edinburgh’s Royal Mile as procession begins
13:59 , Martha Mchardy
Scotland’s crown jewels leave Edinburgh Castle
13:55 , Martha Mchardy
The honours of Scotland - the country’s crown jewels - have left Edinburgh Castle in a procession to St Giles’s Cathedral for a service to honour the King and Queen.
The Crown, the Sceptre and the Sword of State are travelling by car under military guard.
They include the new Elizabeth Sword, commissioned to replace the previous Sword of State as it had become too fragile, having been given to James IV by Pope Julius in 1507.
In pictures: Scottish first minister Humza Yousaf arrives at the coronation
13:53 , Martha Mchardy
Scottish first minister Humza Yousaf has arrived at St Giles’ Cathedral for the coronation.
The first minister arrived with his wife to chants of “Not my King”.
Mr Yousaf will give a reading during the service, while others attending from the world of politics include Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar and Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton.
Why do Scotland and England have separate coronations?
13:49 , Martha Mchardy
Scotland’s separate coronation is a nod to the historical fact that England and Scotland had different monarchs until the crowns were united in 1603.
At a thanksgiving service in the city’s St Giles’ Cathedral, King Charles will be presented with the Honours of Scotland - the historic Scottish crown jewels.
These include the Crown of Scotland, made for Scottish King James V in 1540 and used to crown Mary Queen of Scots in 1543, and the Sceptre, thought to have been given to James IV by Pope Alexander VI in 1494.
The regalia also features the new Elizabeth Sword, named after his mother and made to replace one given to Scotland’s James IV by Pope Julius in 1507 but now too fragile to use.
“The Honours of Scotland have immense historical significance, having been present at many major ceremonial events over the past 500 years,” Scotland’s First Minister Humza Yousaf said.
“Designed and crafted with care by some of Scotland’s finest artisans, the Elizabeth Sword is a fitting tribute to the late queen as Scotland prepares to welcome the new king and queen.”
The Stone of Destiny, a symbol of Scottish nationhood brought to England in the 13th century and returned to Scotland in 1996, will be moved to the cathedral for the service, for which the king has commissioned five new pieces of music.
What will the procession involve and who is attending?
13:35 , Martha Mchardy
Celebrations to mark the King and Queen’s coronation have begun in Scotland with a people’s procession through the streets of Edinburgh.
Now a service of thanksgiving and dedication for the King and Queen will take place at St Giles’ Cathedral in the Scottish capital, where the monarch will be presented with the Honours of Scotland, the country’s crown jewels.
The Prince and Princess of Wales, known as the Duke and Duchess of Rothesay in Scotland, will be among those at the event as will the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh.
Scotland’s First Minister Humza Yousaf will give a reading during the service, while others attending from the world of politics include Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar and Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton
The service will feature centuries-old aspects of Scottish royal tradition along with new additions such as pieces of music written specially for the occasion, a psalm sung in Gaelic and the use of passages from the New Testament in Scots.
The Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, Rt Rev Sally Foster-Fulton, will preach the sermon and then provide a blessing to close the service.
Others involved will include violinist Nicola Benedetti, who will be among the musicians playing, and Olympic rower Dame Katherine Grainger who will carry the Elizabeth Sword which is being used in place of the Sword of State.
Among the congregation will be individuals from the people’s procession, a group around 100-strong reflecting all aspects of Scottish society from the arts and politics, to education, civil society and business, including charities which the King supports as patron.
Major General Alastair Bruce, governor of Edinburgh Castle, watched the procession set off from the fortress’ esplanade, and it was joined by four mounted elements of the Scots Dragoon Guards, the Pipes & Drums of Robert Gordon’s Combined Cadet Force and the 51 Brigade Cadet Military Band.
Crowds lining crash barriers along Edinburgh’s famous royal mile to watch Corporal Cruachan IV, the Shetland pony regimental mascot of The Royal Regiment of Scotland, leading the men of women in the procession.
Among those represented were NHS Scotland, celebrating its 75th anniversary, the Robert Burns World Federation, College of Master Kilt Tailors, the Scottish Parliament, the Prince’s Trust, Glasgow Life - museums and the Trades Houses of Scotland, from coopers to goldsmiths.
The Honours of Scotland, crown, sword of state and sceptre, will soon follow escorted by military personnel from across the Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force and the Royal Company of Archers, who act as the King’s body guard in Scotland.
Procession timings
13:22 , Martha Mchardy
13:15 People’s Procession begins
13:30 People’s Procession arrives at St Giles’ Cathedral
13:40 The Honours of Scotland leave Edinburgh Castle Esplanade under military escort
13:50 The Honours of Scotland arrive at West Parliament Square by vehicle
14:05 The King and Queen Camilla leave the Palace of Holyroodhouse
14:10 Royal Procession arrives at St Giles’ Cathedral
15:20 Gun salute from Edinburgh Castle before the Royal procession travels back to Holyroodhouse
15:40 Fly-past begins
Royalists travel miles to see King and Queen
12:41 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Crowds gathered early on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile with visitors from as far away as New Zealand hoping to catch a glimpse of the King on his way to the service of thanksgiving.
Three sisters, Julie Avery, 51, from Birmingham, Karen Shortiss, 54, from Penicuik, Midlothian, and Linda Halfpenny, 67, from New Zealand, met up in the Scottish capital on Wednesday to see Charles and Camilla making their way to St Giles’ Cathedral for the event.
Mrs Halfpenny has lived in New Zealand for 42 years and is in Britain to see her two sisters.
Her time at home coincided with Charles and Camilla’s visit to Scotland, so she phoned her sisters and asked if they could attend the event with her.
Mrs Avery said: “Linda is over here visiting and last week she sent me a message asking if I could have Wednesday off and could I come up, so I said ‘Yes alright.’
“I came up last night and I’ll go home tomorrow morning to go to work tomorrow afternoon.”
Mrs Shortiss said: “We’ll spend the day together as well.”
Mrs Halfpenny said she had “come a long way” and the sisters wanted a “good position” to be able to see the royal procession.
Also in the crowd were four women from Italy, wearing fascinators and carrying royal family teacups.
They are on a business trip in Scotland and came along at midnight on Tuesday to scope out their position in the crowd, but arrived at 8.30am on Wednesday.
Ciara, from Bologna, said: “We like the royal family and we want to share with our community to show what happened.”
Paula, also from Bologna, added: “We want to show our support to the new King.”
Elsewhere in the crowd was Margaret Jenkins, 62, from East Lothian, who said: “I’m excited to see King Charles, my King, and I know not everyone would agree.”
Royal fans stand next to protestors ahead of procession
11:47 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Royal fans arrived early on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile ahead of the ceremony to mark the King and Queen’s coronation.
They lined the route the royal procession will take to service of thanksgiving and dedication at St Giles’ Cathedral.
Among those those attending were Margaret Jenkins, 62, from East Lothian, who said: “I’m excited to see King Charles, my King, and I know not everyone would agree.”
Anne Connolly, 65, from South Shields, said: “It’s a good day out. We’re looking forward to seeing the King and Camilla.”
Referring to said an area fenced off for protesters outside the cathedral, she said: “They’ve given the protestors the best spot here, the best view. It isn’t fair.”
What’s the story behind King Charles’s ‘sausage fingers’?
11:32 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
The former Prince of Wales ascended the throne following the death of his mother Queen Elizabeth II, the country’s longest-serving monarch. He was crowned King in the coronation ceremony in Westminster Abbey on 6 May.
Fans of the royal family have previously expressed concern for the king over photos in which his fingers appeared excessively red and swollen.
The images have prompted speculation from various members of the medical community, who have suggested the swelling could be caused due to a condition called oedema.
The story behind King Charles’s ‘sausage fingers’
In pictures: Well-wishers stand along Royal Mile ahead of procession
10:39 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Well-wishers have lined the street of the Royal Mile ahead of the procession at 1pm today.
The procession will be followed by a lavish ceremony where the Kind and Queen will be presented with Scotland’s crown jewels.
Protest scheduled outside Scottish Parliament amid coronation events
09:47 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Not all Scots will be celebrating as people face a cost-of-living crisis fueled by high food and energy costs.
The group, Our Republic, which campaigns for an elected head of state in Scotland, has scheduled a protest rally outside the Scottish parliament to coincide with the coronation events.
“The vast majority of Scotland didn’t care to celebrate the coronation in May, with support for the monarchy at an all-time low in Scotland,” the group said in a statement. “Charles’ perpetual need to celebrate his reign, with all the pomp and pageantry it requires, is a spit in the face to the people struggling with the cost of living.”
Two months after Charles III's coronation, Scotland hosts its own event to honor the new monarch
09:45 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Two months after the lavish coronation of King Charles III at Westminster Abbey in London, Scotland is set to host its own event to mark the new monarch’s accession to the throne.
While Charles and Queen Camilla won’t be crowned a second time Wednesday in Edinburgh, the festivities will include a crown, horse-drawn carriages, mounted cavalry and a flyover by the Red Arrows, the Royal Air Force’s aerobatic display team, as Scotland celebrates its unique relationship with the monarchy.
The focal point of the event is a service of thanksgiving at St. Giles’ Cathedral, where Charles will be presented with the Scottish Honors — the crown, scepter and sword of state once used to crown Scotland’s kings and queens. The Stone of Destiny, an important symbol of Scottish identity, will also be moved to the cathedral for the festivities.
Two months after Charles III's coronation, Scotland hosts its own event to honor the new monarch
King Charles III to be presented with Scottish crown jewels at lavish ceremony
09:41 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Hundreds of military personnel will march through Edinburgh ahead of a special ceremony where the new King and Queen will be formally presented with the Scottish crown jewels.
On Wednesday (5 July), the King will receive a crown, a sceptre and a sword made of gold, silver and gems – known collectively as the Honours of Scotland – during a service of thanksgiving and dedication at St Giles’ Cathedral.
More than 700 members of the Armed Forces will take part in a procession along the Royal Mile ahead of the ceremony drawn from the Royal Navy, the British Army and the Royal Air Force.
You can watch the ceremony live on The Independent’s YouTube channel here.
King Charles III to be presented with Scottish crown jewels at lavish ceremony
