Queen Victoria’s Visit Queen Victoria came to the throne in June 1837, at the age of 18. She married Prince Albert in February 1840. The young queen and her husband paid their first visit to Scotland in September 1842. They arrived at Granton on 1 September, and spent time touring Edinburgh and the Lothians before journeying to Perth and the Highlands. The national record of the visit has an amusing description of the couple’s first entry into Edinburgh. The Royal Yacht arrived into Leith rather late, and so the planned excursion into the city was postponed until the following morning. A raised flag from Nelson’s Monument would signal the guns to be fired from Edinburgh Castle, as a warning that the couple had left the Royal Yacht. This would allow dignitaries and escorts to take their places for presentation to their majesties. The royal visitors were not expected until the afternoon, but the party rose early, and set off for Edinburgh around 8.30am. The flag was not raised, which meant that the royal escorts and dignitaries from the city were not in their proper places to greet the queen. In the ensuing panic, there was a crush in some spots and the Royal Company of Archers was pushed aside, their arrows broken. To make matters worse, the procession passed the Lord Provost and his party, without realising that there were important guests to greet. This state portrait depicts a young Queen Victoria, aged The Provost was unable to stop the procession in order to conduct the only 18 when she acceded to the throne. planned ceremony of giving Her Majesty the keys to the city. Even their hostess, the Duchess of Buccleuch was caught up in the confusion – driving towards Granton to greet the sovereign on the Royal Yacht, she had to hastily turn around and hurry back to Dalkeith Palace, arriving just in time to meet the party as they drove up to the gates. Fortunately, a return visit was hastily arranged, and apologies offered to the city fathers. The royal itinerary was quickly rearranged and another, more formal state visit to Edinburgh and Leith took place the following day. The keys to the city were duly presented, and all ruffled feathers smoothed over! Queen Victoria and Prince Albert were none the wiser The Lord Provost presents the Keys of the City whenever the monarch visits the capital. The keys are handed over about the panic that their altered timings had caused. in a ceremony believed to date back, at least, to the reign of Mary, Queen of Scots (1561-66) when the town was enclosed by defensive walls. 1 Queen Victoria’s Visit King George V and Queen Mary riding in an open barouche similar to the one Balmoral Castle became Queen Victoria’s ‘royal paradise’ and she spent much Queen Victoria and Prince Albert would have used during their visit in July 1930. time in Scotland. The royal couple travelled northwards to visit Perth, Stirling, Queen Victoria’s personal journal has these words: and the Scottish Highlands before returning to spend their last two days at Dalkeith Palace. On their last day, 'We got out at the Chapel, which is in an 14 September, Victoria and Albert took a carriage ride in an open barouche belonging to the Duchess. excellent state of preservation. It was built in the 15th century and the architecture is most beautiful The national record of the visit states: and rich. It is the burial place of the Rosslyn family, who keep it in repair . An immense crowd had ‘In the afternoon, about three o’clock, her Majesty collected, when we came out of the Chapel.’ and Prince Albert drove out on an airing, in an open barouche of the Duchess of Buccleuch, and attended only by Colonel Bouverie on History tells us that Victoria and Albert fell in love with horseback. After leaving Dalkeith grounds by Scotland, particularly the Highlands, where they bought the new approach, the Royal party drove through Balmoral estate in 1848. the grounds of Viscount Melville, passing in front of the castle; and from thence to Roslin, where Her Majesty alighted, and for several minutes remained inspecting the Chapel.’ www.rosslynchapel.com 2.