Princess Anne, the Princess Royal, rode on horseback through Edinburgh on Sunday as she took part in the city’s Riding of the Marches, a re-enactment of the traditional inspection of civic boundaries that dates back to the 16th century.
The Princess, a noted equestrian and long-serving member of the royal family, joined hundreds of riders on the route that leads into the heart of the capital and culminated in a ceremony at the Mercat Cross, where thousands of spectators had gathered to watch.
Riders followed a course of roughly 26 miles before entering Edinburgh, a route that echoes the ancient civic duty of patrolling and affirming city limits. The earliest recorded Riding of the Marches dates to 1579; the modern re-enactment in Edinburgh was re-established in 2009 and attracts participants and spectators from across the United Kingdom and overseas.
The cavalcade was led by the Edinburgh Principal Riders, who were mounted on grey horses, and included members of the History Matters re-enactment team, who fired a ceremonial volley during the procession.
Organisers described the event as a central feature of the city’s calendar of traditional ceremonies, often called the 'jewel in the crown' of common ridings by enthusiasts. The procession’s mix of historical pageantry and horsemanship has helped maintain public interest in the practice, which originally served to secure settlements against incursion and to mark legal boundaries.
Princess Anne has long been associated with equestrian sport and public service. Her participation in Sunday’s riding continued a royal presence at civic and cultural events in Scotland that combines ceremonial duties with support for local traditions.
City officials and organisers said the procession passed without incident and that the turnout of riders and onlookers underlined the resilience of the custom. Security arrangements and road closures were put in place for the route; organisers urged attendees to follow guidance from event stewards.
The Riding of the Marches remains one of several British common riding traditions that preserve local history through annual pageantry. In Edinburgh, the event now blends historical re-enactment with contemporary civic celebration, drawing both long-time participants and new audiences to the capital’s streets.