Something that defines the Royal Family is the number of castles, palaces and stately homes that are associated with it. Whether it's Buckingham Palace, Sandringham, Windsor Castle or Kensington Palace, the Royal Family has an impressive portfolio of homes around the country.

One such location is based in Scotland and played a key role yesterday (June 27) as Her Majesty The Queen arrived there for the start of an important week. The 96-year-old monarch was pictured in good spirits taking part in her first engagement in the forecourt of the home outside.

The royal home in question is the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, Scotland. Her Majesty arrived there to kickstart Holyrood Week and took part in the Ceremony of the Keys along with The Earl and Countess of Wessex and Forfar.

READ MORE: The other Prince Charles who's a very distant relation of the Queen and was only born in 2020

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The Palace Of Holyroodhouse is in Scotland

The Palace is the Queen’s official residence in Edinburgh, and is the home of Scottish royal history. She normally spends a week at the property during ‘Holyrood Week', or 'Royal Week' as it's known in Scotland. The Queen lives at the Palace of Holyroodhouse while attending meetings and visiting Scottish regions. Her Majesty's stay in Edinburgh usually takes place from the end of June to the beginning of July.

The Palace of Holyroodhouse sits at the tip of the Royal Mile, the Scottish capital's most famous street. The public is able to visit the palace and marvel at some of the historic State Apartments, the ruins of the 12th-century Holyrood Abbey and the incredible royal garden.

According to the Express, the State Apartments are famous for their beautiful plasterwork ceilings and collection of French and Flemish tapestries. When exploring the palace, visitors will likely notice how the rooms highlight changing tastes of successive monarchs, as rooms become progressively grander.

Jane Barlow/PA Wire
The Queen is in Scotland for Holyrood Week

The Queen arrived in Scotland yesterday (June 27) for the start of Holyrood Week and took part in the Ceremony of the Keys in the forecourt outside.

The ceremony traditionally sees the monarch handed the keys of the city and welcomed to her "ancient and hereditary kingdom of Scotland". After she is handed the keys she traditionally says: "I return these keys, being perfectly convinced that they cannot be placed in better hands than those of the Lord Provost and Councillors of my good City of Edinburgh."

Despite the rain, the monarch beamed as she took part in the ancient service alongside her son, Prince Edward and daughter-in-law Sophie who are known as The Earl and Countess of Wessex and Forfar in Scotland. The traditional Guard of Honour was provided by the Balaklava Company of The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders.

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Rebecca Russell

Rebecca Russell is MyLondon's Royal Correspondent who covers everything to do with The Royal Family and their history. Rebecca has a strong interest in every era of royal history and particularly enjoys writing about the Tudors, Stuarts, Georgians, Victorians and The Windsor's.

Some of the stories she has written in the past month include a look at the insane amount of money Prince George and Princess Charlotte's nanny makes, how the Duke of Edinburgh title is currently held by Prince Charles and he will decide who will have it next and The tiny Caribbean island that is Kate Middleton's and Prince William's 'favourite holiday spot'

If you want to get in contact, email: rebecca.russell@reachplc.com.