IT’S Royal Week in Scotland. Haven’t heard of it? That’s ok, some people call it Holyrood Week. Still haven’t heard of it? Neither has Buckingham Palace.
And you’d be forgiven for thinking that Buckingham Palace has never heard of a “week” either, given that the Queen’s visit to Edinburgh is only four days long.
Nonetheless, Royal Week, which sees the Queen visit the Scottish capital for a few days at the end of June every year, is suddenly very much on the news agenda.
That couldn’t be anything to do with the royals’ charm offensive to save the Union?
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Either way, news of Royal Week’s existence came as a surprise to many Scots.
That news came in the from of a BBC story about the Queen visiting the “Irn-Bru headquarters” on Monday.
The BBC tweeted: “The Queen has arrived for her first official visit to Scotland since the death of the Duke of Edinburgh.
“The 95-year-old monarch visited the Irn-Bru headquarters in Cumbernauld on Monday as part of Royal Week, also known as Holyrood Week.”
How long has "royal week" been on the go? did they just dream up this pish as she arrived?
— bob p (@760rpp) June 28, 2021
The Irn-Bru visit is something of a new addition to the “week”, which normally sees the Queen offered the keys to Edinburgh, hold an “Investiture” to recognise Scots who have made a significant contribution to society, and throw a garden party at Holyroodhouse.
She may also take part in "the Thistle Service at St Giles' Cathedral" and "undertake a number of regional Scottish engagements which vary from year to year".
The royal's website explains: "Known in Scotland as 'Royal Week', and to others as 'Holyrood Week', these visits celebrate Scottish culture, achievement and community."
That this is "known in Scotland as 'Royal Week'" came as a surprise to many in Scotland.
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One user wrote: "How long has 'Royal Week' been on the go? Did they just dream up this pish as she arrived?"
Another added: “I’ve lived in Scotland since 2001. I’ve never heard of Royal Week or Holyrood Week."
“I’ve lived in Scotland since 1935 and I’ve never heard of it,” one David Justice replied.
Another user added: “Royal Week? Holyrood Week? Who's having the laugh now? Never heard of either. l have lived here all my days this is the first time I've heard of this nonsense.”
ROYAL WEEK! Remember?!
— Soup (@SoupelinaJail) June 28, 2021
Also known as HOLYROOD WEEK!!
Remember...? Of course, you do!!! https://t.co/TPI6ixtQ3I
A fifth wrote: “ROYAL WEEK! Remember?! Also known as HOLYROOD WEEK!! Remember...? Of course, you do!!!”
Another added: “‘Royal Week / Holyrood Week,’ of course, comes a week after ‘Made Up Friday’ and acts as a warmup for the ever-popular ‘Doesnae Exist Fortnight’.”
Social media users may be forgiven for never having heard of the week before.
While the Earl and Countess of Strathearn’s Twitter account yesterday proclaimed: “Returning to Scotland for Royal Week!”, it had never mentioned it before.
Returning to Scotland for Royal Week! pic.twitter.com/FaYxoQCV7C
— The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) June 28, 2021
The @royalfamily Twitter account, which acts as the Queen’s, first mentioned the week in 2017.
Known in Scotland as Royal Week and to others as Holyrood Week, these visits celebrate Scottish culture & community. https://t.co/hUy4xA2JGV
— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) July 3, 2017
This is also the first year in which a separate post seems to have been created on the royals’ website: https://www.royal.uk/holyrood-week-2017
The week does, however, seem to be older than that.
We’re not sure how old, but articles exist from 2010 which mention it.
When we called Buckingham Palace for more details on “Royal Week”, the switchboard operator told us they had never heard of it.
We said some people call it “Holyrood Week”, which led them to gather it had something to do with Scotland. Quite what, we’re not sure either.
We’ve put in a request for some more information about when it was started and if its sudden prominence has anything to do with worries about support for Scottish independence, as some on social media have suggested:
They’ve literally made up a special week to try and convince us that the UK is brilliant. 🙄 https://t.co/qm1anWu0Jc
— Lota Word (@haplesscats) June 28, 2021
Do the royal advisors think that sending the Windsors to the Irn Bru factory will save their bastard union?
— Davy 🏴 Yes Sir I Can Boogie. (@gowdavy) June 28, 2021
I’m surprised they didn’t arrive with kilts, CU Jimmy bunnets, cans of Tennents, & deep fried Mars bars. Singing “Yessir I can boogie” just to emphasise their love for us. https://t.co/qKDy3fGvLf pic.twitter.com/nkxaZGskpw
I've never heard of Royal Week or Holyrood Week... sounds a bit like another one of those 'charm offensives' to make us want to stay in the UK rather than work towards self determination for 🏴 https://t.co/UeNAXHmW6y
— alison morris (@alimorris356) June 28, 2021
The burning question on everyone's lips is "Will she be meeting Gordon Brown?" https://t.co/QplpV2VA0z
— SCOptimist for Alba (@stanjay2013) June 28, 2021
‘Royal Week’ ‘Holyrood Week’….that’s a new one.
— JackElphinstone (@ElphinstoneJack) June 28, 2021
The neutral Monarchy trying their hardest to ‘hud in’
The clingy desperation is nauseating. https://t.co/PvLV1s884r
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