Local school children lined the entrance to the new gateway as villagers and local dignitaries welcomed the Duke, resplendent in a kilt made out of the Rothesay tartan, and accompanied by HRH The Duchess of Rothesay in an outfit which featured the Lord of the Isles tartan.

In beautiful spring sunshine they were met by Mrs Georgiana Osborne, the Lord Lieutenant of Angus and the Earl of Dalhousie before being presented to senior dignitaries including Ruth Leslie Melville, Provost of Angus.

Also present to welcome the Royal couple were Mary, Dowager Countess of Strathmore and her son, the Earl of Strathmore.

The Royal visit proved one to remember for two local pupils from the nearby Glamis Primary School.

Claire Phillips (six) and Rory Cowan (12) presented a bouquet of flowers to the Duchess.

The Royal couple were then introduced to those who had been involved in the creation of the gates, including Mr Fred Stephen of the nearby Milton Studio at Glamis.

Funded by public donations from Scotland and abroad, the Queen Mother Memorial Gates are the result of a partnership between the Queen Mother's Memorial Fund for Scotland and Strathmore Estates.

Impressive entrance


Forming an impressive new entrance to the historic castle in the centre of the village, the gates took six months to build.

Architect Lachlan Stewart designed the gates in conjunction with a small team of memorial gates' trustees.

The grand gate piers, which are carved from Wattscliffe sandstone, feature the eight names and coats of arms of the ancient Royal Burghs of Angus, in addition to the Bowes Lyon coat of arms and the Glamis crest.
Two rampant lions grace the regal pillars.

The imposing gate piers frame wrought iron gates, with the Queen Mother's coat of arms intricately detailed at the centre.

In creating the memorial, this initiative sought to create a new link from the village to the castle via the avenue.

The gates have also created a new public space in the village in the style of an amphitheatre.

The gates were the result of an appeal launched in 2003 by Jack McConnell, the then First Minister, to raise £1 million for national memorials to the Queen Mother in Scotland.

This saw the establishment of the Queen Mother's Memorial Garden in the Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh; to support any other memorials including the Gates at Glamis Castle, the Queen Mother's family home, and to provide donations to some of the charities which she supported.

Mr David Bowes Lyon, chairman of the Queen Mother Memorial Fund for Scotland and chairman of the trustees of Strathmore Estates, publicly thanked all those who had contributed to the fund which had enabled the two projects to be completed in Scotland.

He was delighted with the creation of the new gates which would prove more accessible for the coach-loads of tourists who visit the castle every year.

Following the opening the Duke and Duchess attended a reception in the grounds of the castle where they signed a commemorative book listing all those who had contributed to the Memorial Fund.



They also received a framed copy of the specially written Pipe March entitled "The Memorial Gates of Glamis - in memory of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother" - composed by retired procurator fiscal Mr Sandy Ingram.

The march was played by Glamis Castle piper Stuart Robertson to welcome the Royal couple into the reception, which was attended by invited guests.

Mr Ingram, who has composed tunes for three generations of the Royal family, including the Queen Mother said: "I wrote the tune with the pipes in mind and I was very proud to hear castle piper Stuart Robertson play it today - he made a cracking good job of it.

"Prince Charles said it was a wonderful idea to write a piece of music for the occasion and I was delighted to be able to present it to them".

Commenting on the Queen Mother Memorial gates, David Adams, general manager of Glamis Castle said: "We are delighted with this striking memorial - it is a true work of art, inspired, designed and created by Scots as an impressive monument to a remarkable lady - the Queen Mother.

"Not only will they give a warm welcome to our visitors from Scotland and across the globe and add to the sense of arrival at the castle, they have also created a new public space and focal point in the heart of the village.

"Having spent much of her childhood at Glamis, the Queen Mother always had a strong affinity with the castle - during World War 1, when the castle became a military hospital, she looked after some of the soldiers who convalesced here.

"After her marriage she spent part of her honeymoon here, she visited Glamis with her family thereafter on many occasions and HRH THe Princess Margaret was born here.

"It is therefore fitting that the Queen Mother should be remembered at Glamis in this way."