Image: The Keys of the City of Edinburgh-2621621 ed46ca0b

Description: The Keys of the City of Edinburgh. The Keys of the City are presented only to the Sovereign or a personally appointed representative and are handed over in a ceremony believed to date back, at least, to the reign of Mary (1561-66) when the town was enclosed by defensive walls. The Lord Provost, accompanied by the Councillors, presents the keys whenever the Monarch visits the capital with the words, "We, the Lord Provost and Members of the City of Edinburgh Council, welcome Your Majesty to the capital city of your ancient and hereditary Kingdom of Scotland and offer for your gracious acceptance the Keys of Your Majesty's good City of Edinburgh." To which the Monarch replies, "I return these Keys, being perfectly convinced that they cannot be placed in better hands than those of the Lord Provost and Councillors of my good City of Edinburgh."
Title: The Keys of the City of Edinburgh-2621621 ed46ca0b
Credit: From geograph.org.uk
Author: kim traynor
Permission: Creative Commons Attribution Share-alike license 2.0
Usage Terms: Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0
License: CC BY-SA 2.0
License Link: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0
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