The Queen has made a surprise appearance at a military parade as her busy week of engagements in Scotland continues.
She joined her son Prince Charles at the Queen’s Body Guard for Scotland Reddendo Parade in the gardens of the Palace of Holyroodhouse this afternoon.
Her Majesty beamed in her dusky blue coat and matching hat by Angela Kelly as she clutched her walking stick before sitting down to watch the parade.
More than 300 officers and archers from the Queen’s Body Guard for Scotland took part in the Reddendo parade with the event being the largest gathering of the Sovereign’s Body Guard in history with 25 officers and 298 Archers expected to be on parade.
The Royal Company of Archers acts as the Sovereign’s ceremonial Body Guard for Scotland – a role first created in 1822 during a visit to Scotland by King George IV.
Charles inspected the royal company with the parade Commander, and the Queen was presented with a Reddendo, a present from the officers and archers to mark the Bicentenary of the Queen’s Body Guard for Scotland.
Love the royals? Sign up for the Mirror's daily newsletter to get all the latest news on the Queen, Charles, Kate, Wills, Meghan, Harry and the rest of The Firm. Click here to sign up .
In past centuries, the Reddendo presented to the monarch was a pair of arrows on a velvet cushion but during the three occasions the Queen has received the gift, it has been replaced by more practical items – a brooch in 1952, glass vase in 1976 and a pen tray in 2006.
As Princess Elizabeth, the Queen first became acquainted with the Royal Company during a visit to Scotland with her father, King George VI in 1937, when he inspected them at the Palace of Holyroodhouse.
The Queen travelled to Scotland earlier this week for Holyrood Week - her annual trip to Edinburgh where she carries out a number of engagements.
It was only confirmed that she would take up residence in Edinburgh for the week on Monday as she has been suffering from ongoing mobility issues of late.
However, yesterday, she was pictured without a walking stick during an audience with the First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon.
The Queen's meeting with Ms Sturgeon came just hours after the First Minister unveiled plans to hold a second independence referendum on October 19, 2023.
SNP policy is to retain the Queen as head of state if Scotland becomes independent.
On Monday, the monarch, 96, attended historic Ceremony of the Keys – the traditional opener to Holyrood week for the Royals - accompanied by her youngest son Prince Edward and wife Sophie Wessex.
Dressed in a powder blue silk wool coat and dress by Stewart Parvin, paired with a hat by Rachel Trevor-Morgan, the Queen stood with her walking stick as she was symbolically offered the keys to the city by Edinburgh Lord Provost Robert Aldridge.
Meanwhile yesterday, she attended the armed forces act of loyalty parade at the Palace of Holyroodhouse to mark her Platinum Jubilee north of the border.
The monarch, dressed in a heather-coloured silk wool dress and coat with a matching hat, all by Angela Kelly, waved to the crowds as she stood with the help of her walking stick.
The Queen's appearance today also comes after a report revealed a Royal Family cost taxpayers £102.4million last year.
As the nation struggled in the cost of living crisis, spending on the royals rose £15million – 17% – to top £100m for the first time.
The multi-million-pound renovation of Buckingham Palace helped to drive up the bill for the royal family.
Spending on the project rose to £63.9million, up £14.4million on the previous year, as work intensified to prepare the palace for the Platinum Jubilee celebrations.
The Sovereign Grant Report shows that last year, as in-person royal visits resumed following the pandemic, their travel costs rocketed from £1.3m to £4.5m.
The report shows spending on the royals rose by almost £15million in 2021/22, up more than 17 per cent on the previous year.
