Hansard

Just less than two weeks ago, the stone of destiny began its journey to London for the coronation of Their Majesties King Charles and Queen Camilla. I attended the ceremony at Edinburgh Castle that marked that occasion in my role as Keeper of the Great Seal, and on Saturday, I represented Scotland at the coronation.

As everyone who watched it will know, the coronation ceremony and the pageantry surrounding it were rooted in tradition, but it is also the case that some of the traditions have been updated to reflect modern values. For example, the inclusion of a multifaith element in the ceremony was a particularly welcome change.

That mix of the old and the new was also evident in wider celebrations in Scotland. The tenor and scale of the festivities has been different from previous coronations, but in many parts of the country people still came together to watch the proceedings live with family, friends and neighbours.

Over the past few days there have been street parties, afternoon teas, special concerts and, of course, some religious services, too. Across Scotland, people have taken the time to perform acts of service in line with the coronation theme of helping out. I joined some of them yesterday when I helped to pack food at the Whitfield community larder.

There will, of course, be more events later this year, when His Majesty is presented with the honours of Scotland at a ceremony in St Giles cathedral, and during royal week in July the Scottish Government will take the opportunity to present Their Majesties with coronation gifts on behalf of the people of Scotland. In doing so, we will be marking a further important constitutional milestone, but we will also be symbolising the respect and good will that is felt by many people in Scotland for Their Majesties personally.

That good will has been built up over many years. Her Majesty Queen Camilla has spoken often about her family’s Scottish roots and, indeed, her affinity to Scotland. She undertook her very first public engagement here, when opening a school playground in Ballater back in 2005, and since then she has forged strong ties with communities across the country—not least in her role as chancellor of the University of Aberdeen.

His Majesty’s affections for Scotland, and especially for Balmoral, are well known. He, too, carried out his first royal duties here, in 1965. The then 16-year-old Prince Charles met students at a garden party at Holyrood Palace, and in the decades since has continued to serve through his patronage of many Scottish charities and institutions and—perhaps most notably of all—through his work with the Prince’s Trust. It is his work with the Prince’s Trust that I want especially to highlight in this speech.

There are, of course, various views of the monarchy in Scotland, but the incredible work that the Prince’s Trust has done with young people over many years right across the United Kingdom, including here in Scotland, is indisputable. As I am sure is true of many members, I have seen the impact of that work at first hand.

In 2019, I visited the Prince’s Trust Wolfson centre in Glasgow and had the enormous pleasure of meeting some of the young people whose lives the trust had transformed. Every year in Scotland, more than 8,000 disadvantaged young people benefit from support that the Prince’s Trust provides through its various programmes. They get opportunities to meet new people, learn new skills and build their confidence, and as a result, they receive vital help in overcoming particularly challenging barriers, and of course, in realising their potential.

Since it was established, the Prince’s Trust has helped to improve the lives of many people across the country. Its work is an important and enduring aspect of His Majesty’s contribution to our society here in Scotland, but the role that he has played in our national life spans many years and goes well beyond the work that he has done with the Prince’s Trust.

As Prince of Wales, His Majesty was there for us when Scotland faced dark times in the aftermaths of Piper Alpha, the Lockerbie bombing and the Clutha helicopter crash. He has also shared with us many special moments, from the opening with Diana, the Princess of Wales, of the 1988 Glasgow garden festival, to the launch of the 26th United Nations climate change conference of the parties—COP26—when he spoke very powerfully about the need for us all collectively to tackle the climate emergency.

Like his mother, His Majesty has also been a good friend to this Parliament. He was present at our official opening in 1999, he joined us for our anniversary celebrations 20 years later, and in 2021 he attended for a third time for the kirking of the Parliament, which is the multifaith service that we hold at the start of each parliamentary session.

Last year, His Majesty addressed us in this very chamber for the first time, a few days after his mother’s death. He told us then that he was taking up his duties

“with thankfulness for all that Scotland has given me, with resolve to seek always the welfare of our country and its people, and with wholehearted trust in your goodwill and good counsel as we take forward that task together.”

It continues to be the case that there are different views in this chamber and throughout the country about the institution of the monarchy, but the commitment that His Majesty has made to serve the people is one that we all share. We have seen both Their Majesties demonstrate that commitment over many years, so whatever our constitutional views are, I think that it is right that the Parliament mark this moment by wishing them well. In doing so, we congratulate Their Majesties King Charles and Queen Camilla on their coronation, we thank them for their continuing service to Scotland, and we commit ourselves to working with them and helping them in discharging the great responsibilities that they hold.

I move,

That the Parliament congratulates Their Majesties The King and The Queen on the occasion of Their Coronation; expresses its gratitude for Their Majesties’ public service to Scotland, and affirms the deep respect that is held for Their Majesties in Scotland.