Page 135 - RSDG Year of 2023

A view of Westminster Hall with Lieutenant Colonel Jamie Halford-Macleod (right) on vigil
St Giles’ Cathedral south to Buckingham Palace and the last Watch of Archers stood down.
Standing vigil was a huge privilege. And emotional. It is hard to describe how I felt standing in St Giles’ Cathedral with our late Colonel in Chief lying in a coffin twelve inches behind me, with the world’s television cameras streaming every move live, and all the time with a long-queued general public shuffling gently past as they paid their last respects. Looking rigidly at our feet, we could see little. But I will never forget the quiet, raw sadness of countless anonymous voices whispering, one by one, a last, truly heartfelt “Thank you, Ma’am. God Bless you Ma’am”.
THE CORONATION OF HIS MAJESTY THE KING
While a few members of the Royal Company were on duty in London for the Coronation of Their Majesties The King and The Queen on 6 May 2023, the focus for its activities was when Scotland was able to mark the Coronation and Their Majesties came to Edinburgh in July for Royal Week. This included a service of Dedication and Thanksgiving and the presentation of the Honours of Scotland to the King. Unusually, the Royal Company also provided a full Guard of Honour for the arrival of Their Majesties at the Palace of Holyroodhouse to mark the start of Royal week on 3 July, a duty normally undertaken by the Army. Part of the parade is the Ceremony of the Keys when the keys of the City are ceremonially handed to the Sovereign by the Lord Provost of the City of Edinburgh and returned to
them for safe keeping. Those who were part of that Guard of Honour included Lieutenant Colonel (Retd) Jamie Melville, Captain (Retd) Harry Jameson, Captain (Retd) Andrew Linehan, Captain (Retd) Christian Melville.
The National Service of Thanksgiving was held in St Giles’ Cathedral on 5 July 2023. Lieutenant Jamie Halford- Macleod and Captain (Retd) Alex Matheson were part of the Guard of Honour on the forecourt of the Palace of Holyroodhouse for the departure of The King and Queen to St Giles’ Cathedral and their subsequent arrival back at the Palace after the service. For this the rehearsals took place in the very early hours of 3 July. Brigadier Jonny Biggart and Capt (Retd) Rory Maclachlan were on duty inside St Giles’ Cathedral for this service which also included the presentation of the Honours of Scotland to The King.
Woven into Royal week were events which routinely take place during this week including the Garden Party and an Investiture for which the Royal Company were on parade.
Everyone agreed that to be involved in these events as a member of The Royal Company for our late and current Colonel in Chief was a never to be forgotten experience in which they were honoured to be involved.
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