The Accession and Coronation, 2022 and 2023
The King succeeded to the Throne on 8 September 2022. On 11 September 2022, 3 Officers and 24 Archers provided the Escort Guard for the Accession Proclamations, parading from Edinburgh’s Mercat Cross, when the Lord Lyon read the Proclamation of Accession of His Majesty King Charles III to the people of Scotland, and to the Castle Esplanade for the proclamation of King Charles III to the people of Edinburgh.
On 6 May 2023, The Royal Company provided an Inside Party of 11 Archers for the Coronation Service in Westminster Abbey and 17 Archers for the Coronation Procession from the Abbey to Buckingham Palace. The Captain-General, His Grace The Duke of Buccleuch, took his place in the Procession as Gold Stick for Scotland.
Royal Week and the National Service of Thanksgiving, July 2023
Royal Week in early July 2023 was, inevitably busier and more complex than usual for The Royal Company. In addition to our regular duties – the Arrival Parade and Ceremony of the Keys, the Investiture at St Giles’ Cathedral, the Thistle Parade for the Installation of the new Knights and Ladies of the Order of the Thistle, and the Royal Garden Party – we had further duties to perform under Operation Sceptre. For the first time, we were invited to provide the Guard of Honour for the King’s Arrival into Scotland on 3 July as well as the Escort for the Presentation of the Royal Honours of Scotland and the Guard of Honour for the National Service of Thanksgiving and Dedication at St Giles’ Cathedral, all taking place on 5 July. Between Monday 3 July and Thursday 5 July, 29 Officers and 383 Archers performed 423 individual duties.