The Palace of Holyroodhouse, founded as a monastery in 1128, is the official residence in Scotland of Queen Elizabeth II and will be the reception venue for the royal wedding on July 30th.
So, how did the palace get its name? “It is said that the King [King David I of Scotland] had a vision in which a cross, or ‘rood’, appeared between the antlers of an attacking stag, which he took to be a sign. The King dedicated his new religious foundation to the Holy Rood. The palace developed in the early 16th century from royal lodgings attached to Holyrood Abbey,” say reports.
Today, the State Apartments of the Castle are regularly used by members of the royal family for State ceremonies and official entertaining.
The palace has a rich and dramatic history and is perhaps most famously known as the home of Mary, Queen of Scots, during her turbulent reign.
