King Charles to Open Scottish Parliament Amid Summer Break
King Charles and Queen Camilla will attend Holyrood on Saturday to officially commence the 7th session of the Scottish Parliament.
The event will feature pageantry, poetry, piping, and speeches by the King, the presiding officer, and the first minister.
However, the timing of the ceremony, coinciding with the start of the summer recess for Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs), has caused some confusion among the newly elected members.
SNP MSP Heather Anderson expressed enthusiasm about celebrating with her constituents but noted the challenge of the timing.
"Being a new MSP, I'm only just beginning to work out what we're doing, the rhythm and the systems here and we're going off for two months and have to start again."
Green MSP Iris Duane, a republican who supports an elected head of state, also questioned the timing.
"The people have elected us to come here and make their lives better and the opening of parliament represents one of our first steps towards properly getting to do that,"she said.
Reform UK MSP Jamie Langan admitted uncertainty about the logic behind the date but expressed excitement about the King's presence at Holyrood.
Labour MSP Katherine Sangster described the timing as somewhat unusual but welcomed the event as a positive conclusion to her initial weeks as an MSP.
"I'm not going to comment on why we're having the opening at the end but it'll be a lovely way to end what's been a great few weeks as a new MSP,"she said.
The Royal Opening of the Scottish Parliament originally took place on 1 July 1999, marking the official start of the parliament's legislative powers.
At that time, MSPs had been elected weeks earlier but had no authority to enact legislation, focusing instead on establishing committee structures and parliamentary procedures.
The parliament's family-friendly scheduling aligned recesses with school holidays, resulting in no chamber sittings during July and August, and MSPs returning to their constituencies immediately after the Royal opening.
Nearly 30 years later, the tradition of starting each new session with a Royal opening on a similar date continues.
David McGill, the parliament's chief executive, explained the rationale behind the timing.
"The date has the advantage of being closest to the anniversary of the first opening ceremony but choosing a Saturday enables the public to be more actively involved in events to mark the occasion.
"The timing of the event also means that newly elected MSPs get an opportunity to search for a local hero – which has been part of our opening events since 2007."
Conveniently, the date coincides with Royal Week in Scotland, during which the Monarch resides at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, engaging with Scots and celebrating Scottish culture, achievement, and community.
Presiding Officer Kenneth Gibson emphasized the significance of the event.
"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."
This will be King Charles's eighth visit to the Scottish Parliament. He first attended with his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II, in 1999, and was last present two years ago to mark the parliament's 25th anniversary, when he spoke of Scotland's special place in his heart.
The Crown of Scotland, historically used at Mary, Queen of Scots' coronation in 1543, will be part of the procession. Athletes set to compete at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow later this summer will carry the Elizabeth Sword.
Significant preparation is involved in the event. Robert White, the Scottish Parliament's postman, will serve as mace bearer on Saturday, a role requiring a measured pace.
"A lot of people say I'm the quickest person in the building, but when you do the mace, you have to be very, very slow,"he said.
"Everything starts with me. If I'm wrong then the whole procession's wrong, so there's a wee bit of weight on the shoulders to get that right."
The ceremony will include performances by the National Youth Choir of Scotland's BSL Youth Choir, which incorporates sign language, musicians Rachel Groves and Ellie Beaton from Aberdeenshire, and a drama exploring Scottish culture and identity featuring members of the Lyceum Youth Theatre.
Seventeen-year-old Thomas Candlin expressed gratitude for his involvement.
"It's quite nerve-wracking because obviously it's such a big event for the entirety of the country. There's so many important people there, there's quite a lot of pressure to get it perfect."
Scotland's national poet, the Makar Peter MacKay, has been commissioned to write a poem for the occasion.
He will deliver the poem in Gaelic, accompanied by an English translation in the programme.
"Let This Hall Be Full of Noises" consists of seven stanzas of seven lines, symbolizing the 7th session.
"If there is a political message, it's to do what's right, to take things seriously, to feel the responsibility of power, and to consider all of the country and all of its different diverse locations,"MacKay said.
"Everybody has to be reflected and to have their voices heard."
'Local Heroes' Reception
Following the formal ceremony, Their Majesties will attend a reception with "local heroes" selected to represent constituencies and regions across Scotland.
Among them is four-year-old Gregor Corse from Orkney, who was born with a brain condition affecting his balance and motor skills. He is the youngest local hero ever chosen.
Gregor has raised £70,000 for charity by completing laps around his house using a walking frame.
His mother, Iona, will accompany him.
"He's very excited, he's been telling everybody about getting to meet the King,"she said.
She added that Gregor's walking improved significantly during the challenge but cautioned, "The King might need to open his arms and catch him."
The ceremony will be broadcast on the BBC Scotland channel at 11:30 on Saturday.
