The King and Queen are in Scotland this week for Holyrood Week, but many members of the Royal Family – including Prince William and Kate Middleton – have to use different titles when north of the border
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King Charles receives the keys to the City of Edinburgh during ceremony
When Prince William married his university girlfriend Kate Middleton back in 2011, they were handed the new titles the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
They new dukedom was a gift from the late Queen Elizabeth, and the name Cambridge would go on to become the unofficial surname their children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis used at school.
But there was also another title handed to Kate and William on their wedding day – to be used only in Scotland. The country is a very special place for the couple as it’s where they met and fell in love.
North of the border, the couple don’t use their English titles and are instead known as the Earl and Countess of Strathearn. The couple have used these titles on visits to Scotland over the years, to the delight of Scottish royal fans.
The couple – along with their children – were handed new titles when the late Queen died in September 2022 – the Prince and Princess of Wales. The Prince of Wales is the title held by the heir to the throne, which means King Charles handed it to his oldest son when he took the throne.
The King and Queen are in Scotland this week for the annual Holyrood Week, which will see them stay at the the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh.
This year’s Holyrood Week is shorter then in previous years because the General Election has meant the royal family has postponed any engagements “which may appear to divert attention or distract from the election campaign”.
The King officially began his stay yesterday, when he received the keys to the City of Edinburgh, which is celebrating its 900th anniversary.
During the Ceremony of the Keys, he was welcomed by the Lord Provost, City of Edinburgh councillor Robert Aldridge, who presented the keys on a red velvet cushion which Charles symbolically touched.
Mr Aldridge told the King, after he arrived by helicopter with the Queen: “We, the Lord Provost and members of the City of Edinburgh Council, welcome Your Majesty to the capital city of your ancient and hereditary kingdom of Scotland and offer for your gracious acceptance the keys of Your Majesty’s good City of Edinburgh.”
Charles gave the traditional reply: “I return these keys perfectly convinced that they cannot be placed in better hands than those of the Lord Provost and councillors of my good City of Edinburgh.”
