Hundreds of sailors march along Edinburgh's Royal Mile to celebrate Freedom of the City
Members of the public lined the Royal Mile to witness the spectacle
Sailors from HMS Queen Elizabeth paraded up the Royal Mile to exercise their freedom of the City of Edinburgh.
As intrigued members of the public lined the Royal Mile, 250 sailors from the Royal Navy’s massive aircraft carrier marched from Holyrood Palace to the castle under the invitation of the city’s Lord Provost, councillor Robert Aldridge.
The sailors, accompanied by the Band of His Majesty’s Royal Marines, lined up in front of the city’s chambers as they were inspected by the Lord Provost escorted by the ship’s commanding officer Captain Claire Thompson.
Councillor Robert Aldridge said: “What a memorable day for the capital as we celebrate the HMS Queen Elizabeth. The parade was a spectacular sight as the regiment exercised its privileges to parade through the City of Edinburgh with ‘drums beating, colours flying and bayonets fixed’ before the thrilling F-35 flyover.
“We greatly value our connection with HMS Queen Elizabeth and His Majesty’s Armed Forces with many service units, personnel, families, and veterans based and living in our city.”
Addressing the troops, Captain Thompson said: “For all of us here today Edinburgh will always hold a special place in our heart and we remain ever grateful for the unwavering support and friendships that we have made.
“I would like to conclude by offering our heartfelt thanks for this opportunity and what will be lasting memories for all of us for the rest of our service and beyond.”
Friday morning’s parade came as a surprise to locals who first got wind of it when notices of a “street party” appeared in the lead up to the massive military spectacle.
The 65,000-tonne warship inherited the Freedom of the City of Edinburgh the HMS Edinburgh, whose decommissioning thirteen years ago was celebrated with a similar parade.
The future HMS Edinburgh, an anti-submarine frigate set to be built by BAE Systems in Glasgow, will not enter service until after 2030 so the HMS Queen Elizabeth has been given permission to hold the affiliation.
The aircraft carrier, which is capable of carrying up to 40 aircraft, is currently docked in Glenmallen in the East of Scotland to unload munitions as its 800 sailors prepare to return to frontline operations.
Brigadier Andy Muddiman said: “It’s hugely gratifying to see sailors from HMS Queen Elizabeth parading on the Royal Mile, demonstrating the enduring link the Royal Navy has with the City of Edinburgh.
“In these challenging times I think it’s important to remind everyone that this is their Royal Navy, made up of men and women who hail from towns and cities across the UK and who represent that bond of friendship which connects us all.”
Edinburgh has a long maritime history with the port of Leith, where the Royal Yacht Britannia has become a major tourist attraction, and nearby port of Rosyth playing a vital role in naval operations.
The docking in Scotland is the first stop as the aircraft carrier travels around the UK and Northern Europe as part of planned training for operations.