Battle Trust Memory Lane [21]: King James VIII Proclaimed in Edinburgh at the Mercat Cross

17th September 1745 at 12 noon

This was indeed the time and the date that HRH Prince Charles Edward, his Highland army having entered Edinburgh without a shot being fired, came to the capital's Mercat Cross for the Proclamations to be made.



His father, King James VIII's, Proclamation initially made in Rome two years before was read as was Bonnie Prince Charlie's personal Declaration as Regent.

* King James VIII's Declaration in Rome, December 23rd 1743

* HRH Prince Charles Edward, Regent's, Declaration in Paris May 16th 1745

* HRH Prince Charles Edward, Regent's, Declaration from Holyroodhouse Palace, September 17th 1745

263 years on in 2008 .....

..... the Trustees re-enacted that occasion on that same date at the same time and place as pictured below, with Herald Extraordinary [aka Roy Pugh] and citizens and passers by gongoozling the proceedings. It also provided an opportunity for Scottish tv [East] to report in its 6pm News Bulletin on the nationwide campaign to preserve Scotland's battlefields more effectively and our Prestonpans case in particular. The Prince retired for luncheon to the neighbouring Gordon's Trattoria [reminding him of Italy] rather than to Holyroodhouse Palace.

click on all pictures to enlarge




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photography by Linda Sneddon and others - with our thanks [Ed].