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King Charles launches shortened Holyrood Week
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# King Charles launches shortened Holyrood Week
PA
King Charles III began Holyrood Week with the Ceremony of the Keys at
the Palace of Holyroodhouse
The King and Queen have begun two days of events for a Holyrood Week
shortened this year by the general election.
Their official stay in Scotland got under way with the monarch
receiving the keys to the City of Edinburgh, which is celebrating its
900th anniversary.
The Royal Family postponed engagements "which may appear to divert
attention or distract from the election campaign", but will attend the
city's anniversary events, a garden party and a literary reception.
The King also presided over an investiture ceremony at the palace.
Recipients include bestselling author Sir Alexander McCall Smith -
creator of The No 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series and the 44
Scotland Street novels - who will receive a knighthood for services to
literature, academia and charity.
The Queen held a reception to celebrate Scottish literacy, including
bookshop owners, writers and literary organisations.
PA
The palace garden was transformed into a parade ground
The King, who arrived by helicopter with the Queen, started his
official engagements by inspecting a guard of honour in the Palace of
Holyroodhouse gardens.
Before the ceremony, the palace garden was transformed into a parade
ground, where the King met senior military and uniformed figures,
including Police Scotland Chief Constable Jo Farrell.
He then received a royal salute before inspecting a Guard of Honour of
soldiers from Balaklava Company, 5 Scots.
The Ceremony of the Keys was held in the garden of the Palace of
Holyroodhouse, the King's official residence in Edinburgh.
He was welcomed by Lord Provost Robert Aldridge, who presented the
keys on a red velvet cushion for the King to symbolically touch.
PA
The King began his official engagements by inspecting a guard of
honour in the Palace of Holyroodhouse garden
The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh will later join the King and Queen
to host guests at a garden party.
On Wednesday the royal couple will be joined by Prince William, whose
Scottish title is the Duke of Rothesay, at St Giles' Cathedral, where
Camilla and Edward will be appointed to the Order of the Thistle.
Scotland's highest royal honour, can only be bestowed by the King
himself.
It currently recognises 16 knights as well as men and women who have
held public office or who have given a particular contribution to
national life.
The King and Queen will round off the trip with a celebration at
Edinburgh Castle to mark the city's 900th anniversary.
PA
Prof Sir Alexander McCall Smith has written and contributed to more
than 100 books
More than 50 people received honours from the King at the investiture.
Sir Alexander McCall Smith said his knighthood for services to
literature, academia and charity was a "wonderful thing".
The emeritus professor of medical law at the University of Edinburgh
and creator of The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series, which is set
in Botswana, has written and contributed to more than 100 books
including short story collections, children's books and specialist
academic titles.
He also conceived the idea of the Great Tapestry of Scotland, now
housed in Galashiels.
Now 75, Sir Alexander was born in Zimbabwe, then known as Southern
Rhodesia, and made Edinburgh his home after studying there.
Asked what his character Mma Ramotswe would think about the
knighthood, he said: "She would be very happy I think, it's been a
long journey I've had with her, conversation over many years.
"I wish she could be with us today but she's entirely fictional."
Sir Alexander is also a patron of charities including The Eric Liddell
Community, a care charity and community hub in Edinburgh.
PA
Composer Prof Paul Mealor said it was an "incredible surprise" to get
his award
Prof Paul Mealor, from the University of Aberdeen, became a Lieutenant
of the Royal Victorian Order - a gift given by the King to people who
have served the monarchy in a personal way.
His royal compositions included the Coronation Kyrie for the King's
coronation last year and music for the wedding of the Prince and
Princess of Wales in 2011.
Speaking after being honoured at the ceremony on Tuesday, he said it
was an "incredible surprise" to get the award.
"When you are asked to do these things, you do it for the honour of
doing them," he said.
Others honoured included Prof Sir Jim McDonald, principal of the
University of Strathclyde, who was appointed Knight Grand Cross of the
Order of the British Empire for services to engineering, education and
energy.
Liz Smith, a former Scotland cricketer who is now a Conservative MSP,
became a CBE for services to sport.
Members of the emergency services were also honoured, including Police
Scotland Chief Superintendent Faroque Hussain, retired chief
superintendent Carol McGuire, from South Ayrshire, and PC Stephanie
Rose, from Denny, who received the King's Police Medal.
PA
Sir Ian Rankin was one of Queen Camilla's invited guests at a
celebration for those who promote Scottish literacy
The Queen then hosted writers, publishers and booksellers to the
Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh.
Crime authors Sir Ian Rankin, Val McDermid and Sir Alexander McCall
Smith were among the authors at the reception with representatives
from the Edinburgh International Book Festival and the Scottish Book
Trust.
The Queen is a patron of a number of literary organisations, and her
own Reading Room project, launched during lockdown.
Sir Ian said the Queen was a fan of "anything that gets people
reading".
Commenting on Edinburgh's literary heritage, he added: "It's always
been a literary city and it's always been a city that's inspired
writers. Everybody from Robert Louis Stevenson to Muriel Spark and to
Irvin Welsh have been influenced by the city.
"And although it's a very small city, it's like Doctor Who's Tardis -
it's much bigger on the inside because it has all these different
versions of itself in there, waiting to be explored by writers of
various hues."
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