Palace of Holyroodhouse: Court, Ceremony and Government at the Foot of the Royal Mile

At one end of Edinburgh’s Royal Mile stands the castle on its rock; at the other, in the shadow of Arthur’s Seat, stands a palace. The Palace of Holyroodhouse grew out of a medieval abbey, became the home of Scotland’s royal court, and remains the official residence of the monarch in Scotland. Its story follows the changing fortunes of the Scottish crown, and today the Scottish Parliament stands immediately beside it. For travellers on our Edinburgh Festival Fringe small group tour, it is the natural end point of any walk down the Royal Mile.

An abbey before a palace

The site’s story begins with a church. David I founded Holyrood Abbey in 1128, and it was first served by Augustinian canons. Its name comes from a legend about the king and a holy cross, or rood: in one version a cross appeared in the sky, in another a crucifix between the antlers of a stag.

The abbey was close to the centre of Scottish public life for centuries. Parliaments met there several times between 1256 and 1410, and it saw coronations, including those of James II in 1437 and Charles I in 1633, and weddings, including that of James IV and Margaret Tudor in 1503. Our article on the birth of Scotland describes the medieval kingdom in which the abbey played this role. The church was closed in 1766 for safety reasons, and its roof collapsed in December 1768, leaving the roofless ruin that stands beside the palace today.

From abbey chambers to a palace

After Edinburgh became the capital in 1437, monarchs found the royal chambers at the abbey more comfortable than the castle, and around the time of his marriage to Margaret Tudor in 1503, James IV decided to convert them into a palace. James V began a large rectangular tower at the north-west corner in 1528, the part of the building now known as Mary, Queen of Scots’ Chambers. The palace became the setting for the Scottish court, at the opposite end of the Royal Mile from the castle.

Mary, Queen of Scots, and the murder of Rizzio

The palace is closely associated with Mary, Queen of Scots, who spent much of her life there. Its most notorious episode took place on the night of Saturday 9 March 1566, when her secretary, David Rizzio, was murdered in her private apartments by a group led by her husband, Lord Darnley.

Can you see the rooms where Rizzio was murdered?

Yes. Visitors to the palace can see the rooms where the events took place, including the Supper Room, a small turret room beside Mary’s Bedchamber, and Mary’s Outer Chamber, in the part of the palace now known as Mary, Queen of Scots’ Chambers.

Rebuilt for a restored monarchy

After the union of the crowns in 1603, the court left for London. Between 1671 and 1679 it was almost completely rebuilt for Charles II to designs by Sir William Bruce, and by 1679 it looked largely as it does today. In 1745 Charles Edward Stuart held court there after seizing Edinburgh, in an attempt to restore the Catholic line to the throne, and in 1850 its interiors were improved for a visit by Queen Victoria.

The monarch’s official residence in Scotland

From 1910, under George V, the palace was recognised as the official residence of the sovereign in Scotland. George V and Queen Mary modernised it with bathrooms, electricity and lifts, and started the tradition of holding garden parties there. In 2002 the Queen’s Gallery, now The King’s Gallery, was opened alongside the palace for exhibitions from the Royal Collection.

What is Holyrood Week?

It is the annual week, usually from the end of June to the beginning of July, when the monarch visits Scotland and hosts gatherings at Holyroodhouse; in Scotland it is also known as Royal Week. It opens with the Ceremony of the Keys on the palace forecourt, where the Lord Provost presents the King with the keys to the city. The week includes investitures in the palace’s Great Gallery and a garden party for around 8,000 guests. The Royal Company of Archers serves as the King’s official bodyguard in Scotland.

Palace and Parliament

In 2004 the palace gained a new neighbour. The Scottish Parliament building, designed by Enric Miralles and Benedetta Tagliabue with RMJM, was formally opened by Queen Elizabeth II on 9 October 2004 on a site beside the palace, with the Canongate section of the Royal Mile as its northern boundary. Miralles, who died before it was completed, wanted the building to “arise from the sloping base of Arthur’s Seat”. From 1999 until it opened, the Parliament had met in the General Assembly Hall on the Mound. The foot of the Royal Mile now holds both the monarch’s residence and the seat of devolved government.

Holyroodhouse on a small group tour

The tour is based in Edinburgh for eight nights in August. An orientation walk with the Program Leader introduces the city, tickets to four Fringe performances are included with selections confirmed once the programme is published, and the itinerary includes the National Museum of Scotland and the National Galleries of Scotland. The palace is open to the public, and the two free days leave time to walk down the Royal Mile and visit it. Another royal sight within easy reach is the Royal Yacht Britannia, moored in Leith. Our guide to Edinburgh covers the Royal Mile in more detail.

How much walking does the tour involve?

Around 3 to 5 kilometres a day, some of it on uneven surfaces. The tour is graded Level 1, Introductory to Moderate. The Royal Mile runs downhill from the castle to the palace, so walking it in that direction is the gentler choice.

Our guide to places to visit in Edinburgh off the beaten track suggests quieter corners, and our country spotlight on Scotland sets the capital in its national context.

From abbey to court to Parliament’s neighbour, Holyroodhouse rewards a slow visit. To explore it during Edinburgh’s busiest month, join our nine-day Fringe tour in a small group of up to 16.