Lord-Lieutenant hopes King Charles will visit Caithness next summer
Lord Thurso is hoping King Charles III will keep up his strong connection to Caithness by paying a visit to the county next summer.
The King's coronation ceremony will take place on Saturday, May 6, 2023. He will be crowned alongside the Queen Consort at Westminster Abbey, eight months on from the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
The new monarch has been a regular visitor to Caithness since the death in 2002 of the Queen Mother, who bought the Castle of Mey in 1952.
As Prince Charles, Duke of Rothesay, he carried out a number of engagements in the county in late July and early August this year.
Lord Thurso, His Majesty's Lord-Lieutenant for Caithness, reflected this week on what he called "a year of contrasts" – from the celebrations in the summer marking the Queen's 70-year reign to the "great sadness" at her passing in September.
Lord Thurso said: "The opening lines of Charles Dickens’s A Tale of Two Cities seem perfectly to describe 2022: 'It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.' What a year of contrasts it has been.
"We began with hope, coming out of Covid restrictions and looking forward to a return to normality with the celebrations of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee ahead. They were wonderful celebrations both on a national scale and here in Caithness with beacons at John O’Groats, Harald’s Tower and many other locations, as well as parties.
"As Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant it was a great pleasure in the summer to welcome the then Duke of Rothesay to several visits to Wick and Dunnet celebrating community service – visits His Royal Highness greatly enjoyed.
"Then came the great sadness of losing our Queen, which was marked by national grief but also a great sense of gratitude for a lifetime of service. Now as His Majesty’s Lieutenant I look forward to the new year when hopefully His Majesty will visit in the summer after what will certainly be a splendid coronation and, to paraphrase Dickens’s words, the season of darkness gives way to a spring of hope."
Lord Thurso attended a proclamation ceremony for King Charles III at Wick's historic Market Cross on Sunday, September 11. The reading was given by Councillor Struan Mackie, the provost of Thurso and senior civic leader in Caithness.
Councillor Mackie said at the time: “Caithness has a unique relationship with the royal family – not because we are home to one of the great historical royal seats of this realm, but out of choice. The royal family have, over the years, chosen to reside here, to visit here, both publicly and privately, and to be part of our community."
Charles received the Freedom of Caithness from Highland Council at a ceremony in Wick in August 2008. The presentation was made three months before the future King turned 60 and he said at the time: "I can't tell you how touched I have been by the news you wished to do this.
"I could not be more flattered, and indeed grateful to Highland Council for what has turned out to be probably one of the best early 60th birthday presents I could receive.
“I adored my grandmother, and one of the most frustrating things about today is that I cannot ring her up and tell her about it."
The King's first Christmas broadcast will go out at 3pm on Christmas Day.