Surviving Mai Tai Tom’s “Royal” Blunder: 2022 England & Scotland

CHAPTER SIXTEEN: Hooray For Holyrood

Day Sixteen: Playing The Palace, There’s Something About (Queen) Mary, Murder At The Palace, Cashmere Is Nothing To Sneeze At, Ice Cream Counts As Lunch?, Slammed, Should I Stay Or Should I Go? and Shoveling In Our Dinner

Finally, after waiting for five years, we were ready for our visit to the Palace of Holyrood House, the official residence of British monarchs when they visit Scotland. The last time we were in town, Princess Anne hijacked our attempt at touring the palace when she decided to drop in on the same day as our group. That would not be a problem today. We stopped for some of those mouthwatering pastries at Gordon Street Coffee and made the 15-minute walk down the Royal Mile to the palace. Along the way, we saw that the Blue Guy from when we entered town a few days ago had not made any headway in his seemingly futile attempt to climb the walls above The Waverley.

I had advance purchased a 10 a.m. entrance to Holyrood online, in an attempt avoid the throngs. It seems many of those masses had the same idea on a chilly morning. We passed by the Queen’s Gallery featuring old master paintings and decorative arts and made our way to the entrance.

The first thing that jumps out at you as you enter the courtyard is a rather large fountain. It’s a 19th-century replica of a 16th-century fountain from Linlithgow Palace (another palace we’d be shut out of on the following day).

We entered the Quadrangle of the palace under a clock with a large crown on top of it. There’s been an abbey on the grounds since the 12th century and in the early 16th century James IV began construction on a new Gothic Palace. We were here to learn about perhaps its most famous resident, Mary, Queen of Scots, who seemingly lived in every palace and castle in Scotland at one time or another.

The Quadrangle is simple, yet beautiful.

Before entering the palace you pass by two unicorns, the Royal Family Crest. One good thing about being shut out in 2017 was that no photos were allowed inside five years ago, while today it’s fine to take all the pictures you’d like.

Before heading up the Grand Staircase …we snapped a few photos of Holyrood memorabilia.

The Grand Staircase leads you to the State Apartments, and while climbing the staircase we saw 16th century tapestries along with frescoes that were purchased by Prince Albert in 1856.

We admired the painting by Stanley Cursiter, “The Honours of Scotland: Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth and H.R.H. the Duke of Edinburgh at St. Giles’ Cathedral in June of 1953.”

In the dining room, there is an 1838 painting of 19-year old Queen Victoria by George Hayter over the fireplace.

Queen Elizabeth’s portrait is from 2018, with the Queen Mother on the left being painted in 1967.

The dining room was originally the Guard Chamber, but became the dining room during the latter part of Queen Victoria’s reign.

When there is a lavish reception or other state event, the Throne Room is the place to be. Not surprisingly there are two thrones that stand out, both commissioned by King George V in 1911.

James VI/I lords over the room from above the fire place.

Charles II is not left out.

We made our presence known in the Presence Chamber, which contains tapestries that Queen Victoria brought from Buckingham Palace in the 1850s.

We were also privy to the Privy Chamber, which was actually Charles II Privy Chamber.

It has a pretty neat 18th century card table. We shuffled off to the next room.

Although I thought the card table should be in the King’s Ante-Chamber, I decided to harp on the musical instruments in this room.

There is also a 17th-century Dutch harpsichord and an 18th-century harp.

We admired the tapestries and chandelier before exiting the room.

The King’s Bed Chamber was our next stop. It was designed for Charles II, whom we met in the Throne Room.

This is a primo room at Holyrood, and the State Bed can be viewed from different angles.

Only one room in the palace has a “colored painting” on the ceiling. It’s good to be King.