Under his Scots Guards bearskin, a young Angus soldier will be beaming inside with pride as he completes a remarkable Royal double in the King’s Coronation.
Lance Corporal Cameron Keith from Forfar is to be part of the momentous spectacle as the gold state coach – used at every coronation since 1831 – carries King Charles III from Westminster Abbey to Buckingham Palace.
The 23-year-old says it is a real honour to be among the thousands of servicemen involved in the occasion.
2019 Royal duty
And it comes after L/Cpl Keith paraded in an important event in the life of the late Queen.
“In 2019, I was lucky enough to be involved in the Her Majesty’s final full Trooping the Colour,” he said.
That event took place on Horse Guards Parade and Her Majesty travelled down The Mall from Buckingham Palace in the Scottish state coach.
There were ceremonies in the two years of the pandemic, but due to the pandemic those were scaled back occasions held at Windsor Castle.
“It was a great occasion to be part of, so to now be involved in the coronation is a privilege and an honour,” said Cameron.
It has been a programme of what the Angus infantryman says have been “intense” rehearsals.
Earlier this week the 1st Battalion were in the capital at 9pm and left the heart of London at 4am after the full-route rehearsal.
“For a lot of the Scots Guards it has been quite different since we are not in a full-time ceremonial role,” added Cameron.
“But you pick things back up pretty quickly.
“Kit prep is completed, the rehearsals have gone well and we are now just looking forward to being part of this.”
Anti-tank deployment
And the streets of London where the global spotlight will fall are a far cry from Cameron’s most recent deployment.
He is recently returned from a six-month tour in Estonia part of the British Army’s first Anti-Tank Company to deploy in the modern era.
As a qualified anti-tank soldier, he was the heart of the tactics development during the operation.
Cameron joined the Scots Guards as an 18-year-old in September 2017.
And he revealed a chance encounter with the late monarch shortly before joining the Army.
“When I was younger I worked as a beater on Strathmore Estates around Glamis Castle,” said Cameron.
“None of the royals were in the shooting parties I was beating for, but one day I saw Her Majesty on the drive at the castle.”
It seems likely the future guardsman may have witnessed the final, private visit Queen Elizabeth made to the Angus landmark.
She enjoyed many happy times there as a young princess.
And, following her death at Balmoral in September, the Dowager Countess of Strathmore spoke with fondness of the 2017 visit which she believed Her Majesty knew could be the final, fond farewell to Glamis.
