Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh take part in Ceremony of the Keys

The ceremony marks the beginning of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.

The Duchess of Edinburgh inspects the guard of honour (Andrew Milligan/PA) (PA Wire)

The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh took part in a special Church of Scotland service during a visit to Edinburgh.

The Ceremony of the Keys was held at the Palace of Holyroodhouse on Friday, to mark the start of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.

The guard of honour, Balaklava Company, 5th Battalion, the Royal Regiment of Scotland marched during the ceremony.

Chief Constable of Police Scotland, Jo Farrell also attended, and journalist, TV correspondent and British Army reservist Major-General Alastair Bruce.

During the Ceremony of the Keys the Lord High Commissioner, in this case the Duke of Edinburgh, as the King’s representative, receives the keys from the Lord Provost.

He was previously Lord High Commissioner in 2014, as Earl of Wessex, and represented his mother, the late Queen.

The Lord High Commissioner is the sovereign’s personal representative to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland and is appointed by the sovereign to attend proceedings on his behalf.

The Duke, who was granted the title previously held by his father on his 59th birthday last year, will make the opening and closing addresses to the Assembly and carry out a number of official functions throughout the week.