The sun shone on a glittering day for Duke of Edinburgh gold award winners.
Nearly 300 young people from all walks of life gathered in the grounds of the Palace of Holyroodhouse on Friday to receive their prestigious certificates.
While the duke left Edinburgh by helicopter with the Queen to carry out an engagement in Glasgow, their youngest son, the Earl of Wessex, attended the ceremony in his capacity as trustee.
He spoke to many of the young men and women who have given up so much of their free time to complete the course. Included in their numbers were scores from across Courier Country from Dundee, Fife and Perth.
One was Peta Greer, 22, a student at Dundee University. She started on the awards scheme which was founded by Prince Philip in 1956 while still at school in Elgin and continued it through the local authority when she arrived in Dundee.
As part of her award, she volunteered at an Over the Wall camp for children with illnesses and their families, which she thoroughly enjoyed. Recommending the scheme, she said: “It definitely gives you a lot of life skills.”
Perth twins Ellie and Rowen Strachan, 18, completed the double with Perth Academy, with both teenagers collecting their certificates.
Rowen did an immersion course in China for her expedition and has been given a scholarship to study Mandarin there before returning to study psychology at Edinburgh University. Meanwhile, Ellie is going to Edinburgh Napier to study biomedical sciences.
Fife award recipients were given their certificates by BBC sports presenter Hazel Irvine, who was born in St Andrews and achieved an MA in History of Art at the town’s university.
More than 42,000 young people are currently taking part in DofE programmes in Scotland, supported by more than 3,500 adult volunteers.