King Charles III today received the Honors of Scotland: a scepter, a sword and a new crown. What’s happening in Edinburgh and why it’s not a ‘second coronation’
King Charles and Queen Camilla are in Edinburgh to receive the Honors of Scotland, i.e. scepter and crown. Yes, you read that right: after the solemn coronation on 6 May in Westminster Cathedral, the new sovereign is the protagonist of a new ceremony in Scotland, in St. Giles Cathedral, where he was given the Scottish crown jewels according to a ancient tradition. But be careful: it is not a second coronation , but a rite that has been repeated over the centuries. Also in attendance at the event are Prince William and his wife, Kate Middleton, regal in a blue gown . Each step of the ceremony is punctuated by precise symbols, and the dresses are no exception.
The Edinburgh ceremony is not a coronation
A large crowd has gathered outside the cathedral of St. Giles, including those who want to applaud the new sovereigns and those who protest with the cry of “Not my King”. Carlo and Camilla entered the church wearing heavy velvet cloaks with bows on the shoulders and a golden chain around their necks. Hymns and prayers for the new kingdom are chanted during the ceremony, and the insignia of the Scottish crown is offered. This is not a true coronation, nor an investiture: since 1707 Scotland is no longer a nation in its own right but is part of Great Britain.
Like his mother Elizabeth II before him, however, Charles III was given a sword, scepter and crown worn by the Scottish Queen Mary in 1543, richly decorated with 94 pearls, gold, silver and precious stones. It is the Honors of Scotland, the oldest insignia in the nation. There was also the Stone of Destiny , used to crown monarchs for over a thousand years.
Camilla in the cloak of Queen Elizabeth II
Queen Camilla wore the late Queen Elizabeth’s green velvet robe and feather hat. The dress chosen is the result of a delicate historical compromise: it didn’t have to look like a new coronation, but it wasn’t even possible to participate in daytime clothes. From the first photos we can peek at some details of the dress chosen by the queen for such an important day: she wore white heels (a choice in line with the candid outfit of the coronation) and a pair of earrings.
According to the most attentive commentators, these are the same pair she wore for her wedding to Charles III of hers: a symbol of her conjugal love, but also of the moment in which she officially became part of of the royal family. After the service, the king was greeted by cannon shots and the flight of red arrows in the sky.