King and Queen to attend Holyrood's official opening ceremony
The King is due to give an official address when he attends the event later this month.
King Charles III and Queen Camilla are due to visit the Scottish Parliament later this month.
The pair will be attending the official opening of the Scottish Parliament’s new session on Saturday 27 June.
During the visit, which will be attended by all of Scotland’s MSPs, the King will make an address to formally open the parliament’s seventh session.
This opening ceremony is one of the last official events to mark the start of the new parliamentary session following the Scottish Parliament election last month. There have been several events over the last few weeks, including the official swearing in ceremonies and the Kirking of the Parliament at St Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh.
There will also be several performances to celebrate Scotland’s culture and heritage.
This includes a reading of a specially-commissioned poem called Let This all Be Full of Noises by Makar Pàdraig MacAoidh, Scotland’s national poet, which will be read in Gàidhlig and English.
The National Theatre of Scotland and the NYCOS BSL Youth Choir will also give a performance.
Presiding Officer Kenny Gibson said: "The start of a new parliament is all about optimism, hope and a renewal of what the parliament means to the people of Scotland.
“Their Majesties’ support for this institution has been steadfast.
“It’s an honour to have the King and the Queen join us at the start of that journey alongside people from across Scotland, who are at the centre of our plans to commemorate this milestone.”
He added: “I look forward to celebrating the very best of Scotland, reflecting on our heritage, acknowledging our traditions, but most importantly with a focus on our future.”
After the official opening ceremony, the King and Queen will join a reception to meet ‘local heroes’, who have been chosen to represent constituencies and regions across the country. The ‘local heroes’ have all been nominated to attend as a special guest of their MSP, to recognise their contributions to their communities.
The last time King Charles III attended the Scottish Parliament was at a ceremony to mark Holyrood’s 25th anniversary back in 2024.
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