Linlithgow Palace ready to turn back the clock

Jul 2 2009 by Marjorie Kerr, West Lothian Courier

HISTORY is set to come to life this month in Linlithgow.

Visitors to Linlithgow Palace can see how the building would have been prepared for a visit by Mary Queen of Scots.

The ‘Queen’s Progress’ events will provide the chance to meet the monarch, and find out how this magnificent royal residence would have prepared for a regal visit by Mary and her entourage.

The first event takes place this Saturday (July 4), with others planned for Wednesday, July 22, Saturday, August 8, and Friday, August 21.

The events explores the different aspects of courtly life and looks at how the Palace building was specifically designed to meet the needs of Mary and other royal personages and their guests.

And visitors will find out all about the extent of the complex, and costly, preparations for a monarch’s visit.

The kitchens had to prepare for sumptuous feasting fit for a queen, sourcing an endless range of supplies and ingredients designed to impress and cooking, roasting, baking and making ale to cater for the discerning and cosmopolitan composition of the royal party.

The servants had to get the royal apartments ready, setting up suitably impressive furniture and hangings, and ensuring everything was scrupulously clean for the royal entourage.

And the guards had to check the property’s defenses, ensuring the safety of the queen and check that there were no dangers to her security.

Sheena Garden, Historic Scotland interpretation manager, said: “The staff at Royal residences like Linlithgow faced a huge task in preparing for the special demands of a visit and stay by a royal party.

“Regal expectations were often incredibly high, and lowly staff working in majestic surroundings could often find themselves blamed for things being not exactly as the royal visitors and their guests expected and demanded.

“Working flat out to get everything ‘just so’ to please kings and queens and their often large entourage was a matter of honour. And in some cases, disappointing and displeasing the royal party could even become a matter of life and death.”

‘A Queen’s Progress’ takes place on all of the dates listed from 10.30am to 11.30am and 1.30pm to 3.30pm and is included in normal admission price to Linlithgow Palace (adult £5.20, concession £4.20 and child £2.60).