Royal smile for a kirk visit to keep Scotland’s insists Tory leader
HUNDREDS of people turned out to welcome the Queen as she attended a kirk service yesterday on her week-long visit to Scotland.
People lined Edinburgh’s Royal Mile to catch a glimpse of Her Majesty and the Duke of Edinburgh as they visited Canongate Kirk.
The Queen, who was wearing a matching jacket and hat in cornflower blue, was met by Canongate’s minister, the Rev Neil Gardner.
Following the service, she spoke to people who had gathered outside to present her with bouquets.
The visit is part of royal week, a traditional period in which the Queen carries out engagements in Scotland. It began on Friday with a ceremony to receive the keys to Edinburgh.
On Saturday the Queen attended the official opening of the new session of the Scottish parliament.
During her first major address since the UK voted for Brexit, she stressed the need for political leaders to make ‘room for quiet thinking and contemplation’ to deal with developments in a ‘fast-moving world’.
She said: ‘Of course, we all live and work in an increasingly complex and demanding world where events and developments can and do take place
with remarkable speed, and retaining the ability to stay calm and collected can, at times, be hard.
‘As this parliament has successfully demonstrated over the years, one hallmark of leadership in such a fastmoving world is allowing sufficient room for quiet thinking and contemplation which can enable deeper consideration of how challenges and opportunities can be best addressed.’
Her Majesty also wished MSPs success with the new tax and welfare powers coming to Holyrood in April 2017.
Royal week celebrates Scottish culture, history and achievements and will include an investiture and garden party at the Palace of Holyroodhouse.