King Charles Steps Out in Scotland as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Announce They’re Bringing Archie and Lilibet to the U.K.
King Charles Steps Out in Scotland as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Announce They’re Bringing Archie and Lilibet to the U.K.
Janine HenniSat, June 27, 2026 at 1:07 PM UTC
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King Charles III (CR), is escorted by the Presiding Officer Kenneth Gibson MSP (CL), followed by Queen Camilla, as they arrive for opening of the 7th Session Of The Scottish Parliament at the Scottish Parliament Building on June 27, 2026 in Edinburgh, Scotland.Credit: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty -
King Charles and Queen Camilla opened the seventh session of Scottish Parliament with a ceremony celebrating Scottish culture and heritage
The event featured performances by Scotland’s national poet, youth choirs, and the National Theatre of Scotland
It's tradition for the sovereign to spend late June to early July in Scotland for Royal Week
King Charles steps out in Scotland as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announce they’re bringing Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet to the U.K.
On Saturday, June 27, the King, 77, and Queen Camilla, 78, attended the opening ceremony to mark the Seventh Session of the Scottish Parliament.
The appearance comes one day after Harry and Meghan confirmed they are bringing their children to the U.K. in July, marking the first time Archie and Lilibet will be in the country since celebrating the Platinum Jubilee of the late Queen Elizabeth in 2022. While Archie and Lilibet will travel with their parents, PEOPLE understands they will not attend any public engagements.
During Saturday's ceremony, King Charles and Queen Camilla were welcomed at Queensberry House and connected with leaders, including the First Minister of Scotland.
ing Charles III (L) delivers a speech next to Presiding Officer Kenneth Gibson MSP (C) and Queen Camilla in the Debating Chamber during the opening of the 7th Session of the Scottish Parliament at the Scottish Parliament Building on June 27, 2026 in Edinburgh, Scotland.Credit: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty
From there, the Mace, Elizabeth Sword and Crown of Scotland — a collection including some of the Scottish crown jewels — were carried into the Chamber to the tune of music performed by the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland Brass Ensemble.
Following remarks by the Presiding Officer, King Charles addressed the Chamber to officially open the seventh session of the Scottish Parliament.
Performances celebrating Scotland's culture and heritage were a highlight of the event, including a poem delivered in Gaelic by Scotland’s national poet Pàdraig MacAoidh and entertainment by the National Youth Choir of Scotland’s Edinburgh Regional Choir, the NYCOS BSL Youth Choir and National Theatre of Scotland.
After the pageantry wrapped, the King and Queen met local people nominated by members of Scottish Parliament for their outstanding community contributions, and young people from across Scotland formed a Guard of Honor to line part of the couple's route to the Palace of the Holyroodhouse.
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King Charles III (L) applauds with Presiding Officer Kenneth Gibson MSP in the Debating Chamber during opening of the 7th Session Of The Scottish Parliament at the Scottish Parliament Building on June 27, 2026 in Edinburgh, Scotland.Credit: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty
The King and Queen last visited the Scottish Parliament in September 2024 to commemorate its 25th anniversary, where he spoke with emotion about how his late mother Queen Elizabeth "chose to spend her final days" at her Balmoral Castle home there before her death in 2022.
Beyond its place as a U.K. nation, the British royal family has strong ties to Scotland, home to their beloved Balmoral, and where Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, was from.
King Charles and Queen Camilla attended the festive event before Royal Week, which is expected to start soon.
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It's tradition for the sovereign to spend the end of June to the start of July in Scotland for the designated time, which is also called Holyrood Week, and dedicate their time to outings recognizing Scottish culture, achievement and community.
The royals use the Palace of the Holyroodhouse, the monarchy's official residence in Edinburgh, as their base of operations during this time, and the celebrations always start with the monarch symbolically receiving the keys to the city.
Other royal events on the Royal Week schedule usually include an investiture, garden party, and sometimes a service for the Order of the Thistle, Scotland's highest honor of chivalry, but Royal Week doesn't mean the King has left England for the summer.
King Charles has continued Queen Elizabeth's tradition of spending the late summer months at Balmoral Castle, usually around August — meaning that he's not through with royal duty for a summer respite just yet.
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