BBC News 4 July 2023
King Charles III will be presented with the Scottish crown jewels in a ceremony in Edinburgh on Wednesday marking his Coronation.
It will be the historic highlight of the day in which Scotland takes the opportunity to celebrate with the new King.
What are the plans for the day?
About 100 people from all aspects of Scottish life will take part in the cavalcade along the Royal Mile, arriving at the historic kirk at about 13:30.
They will be escorted by The Royal Regiment of Scotland, their mascot Shetland pony Corporal Cruachan IV, and a cadet military band.
At 13:40 a priceless crown, sword and sceptre, known as the Honours of Scotland, will travel in a vehicle from Edinburgh Castle to the kirk.
They will be escorted by The King's Body Guard for Scotland (the Royal Company of Archers) and a guard of honour formed by contingents of the Navy, Army and Royal Air Force.
At the same time members of the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment will process along the Royal Mile from the Palace of Holyroodhouse to St Giles'.
The musical accompaniment will be provided by the Royal Marine Band (Scotland) and the Pipes, Drums and Bugles of the 2nd Battalion, the Royal Regiment of Scotland.
The separate royal procession along the Royal Mile will see the King and Queen Camilla leave Holyroodhouse - their official Scottish residence - at 14:05.
They are expected to be joined by the Prince and Princess of Wales, who are known as the Duke and Duchess of Rothesay in Scotland.
During a national service of thanksgiving, due to begin at 14:15, the King will be presented with the Honours of Scotland.
The crown, sceptre and sword will be carried into the cathedral by dignitaries including former Olympic rower Dame Katherine Grainger.
The hour-long service will mix Scottish royal tradition with new music written especially for the occasion.
Nicola Benedetti and The Honours of Scotland Ensemble will perform Peter Maxwell Davies' Farewell to Stromness.
And Joy Dunlop, a BBC Weather presenter and Gaelic singer, will sing Gaelic psalm And I Shall Dwell in God's House, which was composed by Paul Mealor for the service.
The moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, Rt Rev Sally Foster-Fulton will preach the sermon.
And the Honours of Scotland will be presented to the King by the Very Reverend Prof David Fergusson, Dean of the Chapel Royal and Dean of the Order of the Thistle.
The Stone of Destiny - which played a significant part in the King's Coronation at Westminster Abbey - will also be in St Giles' for the service.
A 21 gun salute will fire from Edinburgh Castle at about 15:20 before the royal procession travels back to Holyroodhouse.
There will be a fly-past by the Red Arrows at 15:40.
Who will take part in the parade?
Charities, groups and organisations will be represented in the people's procession along one of Edinburgh's most famous streets.
They will include school crossing patrols from Edinburgh, NHS workers, Royal Mail staff, refugees, emergency service workers and representatives of the Scottish Parliament.
You can find the full list of the organisations to be represented here.
Members of the public will be able to watch the procession on the Royal Mile. They are advised to arrive early and prepare for "changeable weather conditions".
People will also be able to follow events on BBC One, from 13:30.
During the service of thanksgiving at St Giles', three pipers from the King's former school, Gordonstoun, will play for him.
The congregation is expected to include those who took part in the people's procession as well as politicians and faith leaders.
What are the Honours of Scotland?
Made of gold, silver and precious gems, they are the oldest crown jewels in Britain and comprise the priceless crown, sceptre and sword of state.
They are items of immense significance and many will remember the Crown of Scotland sitting atop the Queen's coffin when she lay in state at St Giles' Cathedral.
The crown was made for James V, who first wore it at the Coronation of Queen Mary of Guise in 1540.
Mary Queen of Scots was the first to be crowned using the new crown and sceptre together, in 1543. The origins of the sceptre are less certain - it may have been a papal gift to James IV.
However the sword King Charles will be presented with is brand new, and commissioned because the existing 16th Century sword is too fragile to handle.
Named after his late mother, it is called the Elizabeth sword.
The Honours have had a turbulent past. They were removed from the castle and hidden in 1651-60 to keep them from Oliver Cromwell's army.
In 1707, following the Act of Union between England and Scotland, they were locked in a chest and sealed away.
In 1818, Sir Walter Scott, the famous novelist, rediscovered the Honours - along with a mysterious silver wand.
The Honours of Scotland and their accompanying exhibition are located on the first floor of the Royal Palace on the east side of Crown Square at Edinburgh Castle.
What happened in 1953?
Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip travelled north by train, arriving to a great fanfare at Edinburgh's Waverley Station.
The royal couple rode through the capital, greeting crowds on both sides of Princes Street and up the Royal Mile in an open-top carriage procession, escorted by the Royal Company of Archers.
They attended the thanksgiving service at St Giles' which was led by the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, James Pitt-Watson.
A congregation of 1,700 watched as the Queen received the Honours from the Dean of the Thistle, Charles Warr, and then passed the Crown of Scotland to the Duke of Hamilton, the Sword of State to the Earl of Home, and the Sceptre to the Earl of Crawford and Balcarres.
The last time the ceremony had been enacted before this was in 1822 during the visit of King George IV.
The Queen dressed in "day clothes" for the ceremony, not ceremonial robes, a deliberate decision made by palace officials to avoid the service being interpreted as a coronation.
Reportedly, this was not received well by the media who saw it as a slight.
Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, wore a field marshall's uniform.
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