THE Queen is hoping to make her annual trip to Scotland for "Holyrood Week" although a final decision has yet to be made, Buckingham Palace has said.
The monarch, 96, who is facing ongoing mobility issues, is planning to be in residence at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh when other members of the royal family travel to Scotland to carry out engagements between June 27 and July 1.
During the Platinum Jubilee celebrations, the Queen pledged to continue to serve as monarch “to the best of my ability, supported by my family”.
The Queen’s children the Duke of Rothesay, the Princess Royal and the Earl of Wessex – excluding Andrew who no longer carries out public duties – will be joined by the Countess of Wessex to conduct a host of public appearances.
A Buckingham Palace spokesperson said: “The Queen hopes to travel to Scotland to be in residence at the Palace of Holyroodhouse for Royal Week, although decisions will be taken closer to the time.”
The ancient Ceremony of the Keys takes place on the forecourt of Holyroodhouse as part of Holyrood Week, otherwise known as Royal Week, each summer.
As part of the tradition, the monarch is handed the keys of the city, but it has not been confirmed whether the Queen or another member of the royal family will attend the engagement.
The Queen is usually symbolically offered the keys to the city by the Lord Provost and tradition dictates she then returns them, entrusting their safekeeping to Edinburgh’s elected officials.
