By Tony O’Riley-
The Queen welcomed Ms Sturgeon for an audience at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh and told her “a year’s gap is incredible”, with the politician replying: “Absolutely.”
Covid restrictions forced the cancellation of Holyrood week last year, the official period when the Queen travels to Scotland for a series of engagements including a formal meeting with the First Minister.
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After ushering Ms Sturgeon to her seat the Queen remarked about the gap between the chairs being “still rather distant I’m afraid”, but the politician replied: “No, that’s very wise.”
Members of the royal family joined the Queen for part of her official stay in Edinburgh, with her grandson, Price William, the Duke of Cambridge – who is known as the Earl of Strathearn while in Scotland – travelling with his grandmother for a factory visit on Monday.
Prince William spoke to apprentices and graduates who are training there to work on advanced technology programmes.
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He spoke about the late Duke of Edinburgh after touring a warship under construction.
“My family’s affection for the Royal Navy is well known, and, as I saw the work taking place here today, I was thinking of my grandfather, the Duke of Edinburgh.
“He would have been fascinated and excited to see such advances in skills and technology being put into practice
During the tour of AG Barr’s plant near Glasgow the Queen was introduced to Scotland’s “other national drink”, Irn-Bru, and later took part in the Ceremony of the Keys on the forecourt of Holyroodhouse.
The Princess Royal will accompany her during events on Wednesday and Thursday and the Earl and Countess of Wessex also visited Scotland this week.
Later, the First Minister was asked about her discussion with the Queen during a coronavirus briefing and she replied conversations between the head of state and the leaders of governments in the UK are private aconfidential.
he Duke of Cambridge, known as the Earl of Strathearn in Scotland, chats to workers as they view construction work on HMS Glasgow / PA
The Queen also spoke with the Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament, Alison Johnstone (Jane Barlow/PA)
She added: “It was a real pleasure to see Her Majesty in person today – I think the last time I saw her in person was the best part of two years ago, so it was really good.
She added: “It was a real pleasure to see Her Majesty in person today – I think the last time I saw her in person was the best part of two years ago, so it was really good.“ And hopefully, a sign of that return to normality, that I was able to have those conversations with her today and able to wish her well for her week here in Scotland.”
“My family’s affection for the Royal Navy is well known, and, as I saw the work taking place here today, I was thinking of my grandfather, the Duke of Edinburgh.
“He would have been fascinated and excited to see such advances in skills and technology being put into practice.
Thomas Augaitis, who built the models with a fellow apprentice, was part of a group that handed over the gifts to the royal.
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