ALL THE KING'S HORSES

Preparations for Honours of Scotland ceremony

- LUCINDA CAMERON

THE Royal Mile echoed to the sound of horses’ hooves and troops marching yesterday morning as rehearsals got under way for King Charles’s big day in Edinburgh.

Charles will be presented with the Honours of Scotland – the country’s crown jewels – during the service of thanksgiving and dedication at St Giles’ Cathedral in the capital tomorrow.

The service will feature centuries-old aspects of Scottish royal tradition along with new additions such as pieces of music written specially for the occasion, a psalm sung in Gaelic and the use of passages from the New Testament in Scots.

During the ceremony, the sceptre and crown from the Honours of Scotland will be presented to the King, along with the Elizabeth Sword. This is a new sword specially crafted to be used in place of the current Sword of State, gifted to James IV by Pope Julius in 1507, which can no longer be used due to its fragile condition.