King Charles III officially began his annual week in Scotland with the traditional Ceremony of the Keys in Edinburgh.
On Saturday, June 30, 2026, the King, dressed in a grey suit, attended the ceremony in the gardens of the Palace of Holyroodhouse, his official residence in the capital. The event signifies the start of what is known as Royal Week or Holyrood Week in Scotland.
Upon arrival by helicopter, King Charles was greeted by a guard of honour from the Balaklava Company, 5th Battalion Royal Regiment of Scotland, and the Royal Company of Archers, the King's bodyguard for Scotland. Music was provided by the band and pipes and drums of the Royal Regiment of Scotland. The King received a royal salute during the ceremony.
Edinburgh Lord Provost Robert Aldridge presented the keys to the city to the King on a red cushion. Aldridge welcomed His Majesty to the capital of his "ancient and hereditary kingdom of Scotland" and offered the keys for his acceptance. King Charles responded with the traditional reply, stating he returned the keys, confident they could not be in better hands.
The blue cornflower visible in the King's lapel is a recurring symbol of his environmental advocacy. The flower, now endangered in the wild, draws attention to his long-standing concerns about the environment. This sentiment was echoed in his remarks at the opening of the Scottish Parliament on Saturday, where he warned that the planet's climate was "changing dangerously" and its biodiversity was being "seriously depleted."