Weekend road closures as King and Queen visit Edinburgh and hundreds march for Armed Forces Day - full list
Edinburgh’s Armed Forces Day parade, an Orange walk and a Scottish Parliament event attended by the King and Queen are all taking place in Edinburgh city centre on Saturday.
Multiple road closures, bus diversions and traffic orders have been announced ahead of several high profile events taking place in the city centre on Saturday - including a visit from the King and Queen.
King Charles and Queen Camilla are set to attend celebrations at Holyrood on Saturday to mark the official start of the seventh session of the Scottish Parliament.
The ceremony, which coincides with Royal Week in Scotland, will include speeches by the King, the presiding officer and First Minister John Swinney, and several performances including a poem delivered by Scotland’s national poet, Makar Pàdraig MacAoidh.
Several roads in the Royal Mile area are closed on Saturday afternoon to facilitate the event, including parts of Queen's Drive, Canongate and Abbeyhill.
A John Knox Orange and Purple District Boyne Anniversary parade will also march through the Old Town on Saturday. According to reports, 38 bands are expected to take part.
Meanwhile, over in the New Town, hundreds of veterans, serving troops and service families will gather for Edinburgh’s annual Armed Forces Day parade. Crowds are set to gather at Charlotte Square near Bute House at 10am before marching along George Street to St Andrew Square.
Edinburgh Council has warned of possible disruption due to the number of events taking place this weekend, so anyone travelling to or passing through the city centre should be aware of road closures and diversions.
Lothian Buses has announced several alterations to services on Saturday. Due to road closures on the Royal Mile, the 35 and N35 will be diverted, with several other buses running through the city centre also affected due to the various events planned.
The full list of services affected are the 29, 12, 15, 23, 26, 27, 35, 44, 45, 47, 106, 113, 124, X4, X5 and the X7.
Saturday road closures - full list
John Knox parade
- Rolling road closures between 9.15am-10.20am from Regent Road - Abbey Mount - Abbeyhill - Royal Mile - George IV Bridge - Victoria Street - Grassmarket service road
- Rolling road closures between 10.30am-11am from Grassmarket - Candlemaker Row - George IV Bridge - Forrest Road - Middle Meadow Walk
County Grand Lodge of the East parade
- Regent Road closed between 1.15pm-3.30pm
- Parade route closed between 12.45 - 3.30pm from Potterrow / Forrest Road / Teviot Place / Lauriston Place - George IV Bridge - Royal Mile - Abbeyhill - Horse Wynd - Queen's Drive to Broad Pavement car park
Armed Forces Day Parade
- Charlotte Square north leg closed between 9.30am and 11.30am
- Rolling road closures between 10am and 11am from Charlotte Square - George Street (south side) - St Andrew Square
State Opening of Scottish Parliament
- Queen's Drive at Horse Wynd, Canongate, Abbeyhill between Calton Road and Canongate, Old Tolbooth Wynd, New Street and Cranston Street at Canongate closed between 12.30am - 5.30pm
- Police 'stop and hold' on High Street, Lawnmarket, Castlehill as required between 7am -10.45am