The Duke and Duchess of Clarence

Chapter Twenty-Four: National Service of Thanksgiving

5th of July 2023 - St Giles' Cathedral

Crowds were lining the streets in the lead up to the cathedral as they waited for some sight of the royals that would be attending the national service of thanksgiving which was being feted as the Scottish coronation. 

The King would be presented with the honours of Scotland during the service which would see the King and Queen, the Duke and Duchess of Rothesay and the Earl and Countess of Ross attend. 

Of course, the usual protesters were out in force using their megaphones to shout out 'not my king' just as they had done at every occasion they could get to as if their actions would have any affect many just ignoring them as they passed to take their places in the growing numbers to see the procession. 

Scottish flags were being waved as people walked down the street which had been blocked off for the occasion, many dressed up in their finery for the royal Scottish occasion. 

The royals would make their way down from the Holyrood Palace moving along the royal mile in the lovely weather that they were having; which was a far cry from the rain that had dominated coronation day in London. 

They didn't have to wait long before the procession made it's way down the streets of Edinburgh to cheers from the crowd and booing from the protesters who were determined to drown them out. 

The protesters had set themselves up just on the corner opposite the cathedral in prime position to drown out people who were truly interested in seeing the royals as they arrived. 

Not even the national anthem playing completely drowned them out, although royalists were certainly doing their best but were having little success. 

The Crown was carried into the cathedral by Alexander Douglas-Hamilton, 16th Duke of Hamilton, while the sceptre was carried by Lady Dorrian, the Lord Justice Clerk and the Elizabeth Sword was carried by Olympian Dame Katherine Grainger. 

The service would be preceded by both a "people's procession" and a royal procession to the cathedral; the people's procession consisted of about 100 people representing various aspects of Scottish life. 

The Honours of Scotland were brought into the cathedral in the "People's Procession". 

These were followed by members of the Scottish Parliament and the College of Justice, as well as the heads of Scottish emergency services and members of both the Order of Saint John in Scotland and the Order of the Thistle.

Military participation in the procession included mounted elements of the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards and pipe bands from the Combined Cadet Force and Army Cadet Force A Tri-Service Guard for the Honours of Scotland was formed by detachments from the Royal Navy, the Royal Air Force, the Band of The Royal Regiment of Scotland and Balaklava Company, 5th Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland, with a close escort of the Royal Company of Archers. 

The royal party was escorted by the Royal Marine Band (Scotland), the Pipes, Drums and Bugles of the 2nd Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland and the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment. 

Charles and Camilla were dressed in their the Order of the Thistle finery along with William, while Catherine, Adeline and Simon opted for a more formal but dressed down look that they used for other services. 

People cheered and waves as the royal procession made its way from Holyrood Palace and down the royal mile, the six car procession catching attention as it moved down the road at a steady pace. 

Arriving outside of the cathedral, Charles and Camilla climbed from the front car as the national anthem was played again to welcome them before they were welcomed to the cathedral by bagpipe.