London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Jan 02, 2026

Pipers and silence mark Scotland's moment of reflection

Pipers and silence mark Scotland's moment of reflection

Scotland joined the UK-wide tribute to the Queen on Sunday evening, ahead of her state funeral on Monday.

The national moment of reflection took place at 20:00.

People were encouraged to observe a one-minute silence to remember the Queen, privately at home, on their doorstep or street, or at community events and vigils.

Scotland had several events planned to mark the moment and the monarch's great affection for the country.

At Westminster, Big Ben tolled to start the beginning of the national moment of reflection before being struck once more at 20:01 as it ended.

But laments were already marked by lone pipers at several locations north of the border.

At 18:00 they played The Immortal Memory at four sites:

*  Dornoch - Cathedral Green

*  Fort William - War Memorial, The Parade

*  Inverness - Inverness Town House

*  Portree - Somerled Square

Piper Willie Fraser played the lament at Cathedral Green in Dornoch


Deputy First Minister John Swinney took to the steps of the Scottish government's St Andrew's House in Edinburgh alongside cabinet members Angus Robertson, Ben Macpherson, Jenny Gilruth, and Lesley Fraser, the director general corporate.

He said: "The national moment of reflection has been a dignified way for many of us to pay our respects to the Queen, whether in our own homes or at public events, by observing a minute silence.

"In reflecting on Her Majesty's life and legacy, many of us have considered her long and valued service to the nation and the respect and admiration she had for the people of Scotland.

"These feelings were reciprocated, and will remain long after we pay our final respects to the Queen as part of tomorrow's state funeral."

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon is in London to attend the state funeral on Monday.

Deputy First Minister John Swinney and other ministers at St Andrews house


A larger "service of reflection" took place at The Kelpies in Falkirk.

The ceremony saw 96 lanterns - one for each year of the Queen's life - being lit and lowered into the Kelpies pool of reflection.

Local wreaths were floated in the water and lone piper Euan Thomson played 'A Salute to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II'.

The event was led by former Moderator, Very Rev Martin Fair and incorporated the national silence.

The Queen and Prince Philip had visited the a new section of the Queen Elizabeth II Canal in July 2017, built as part of the £43m Helix project.

Its focal point is the internationally-acclaimed, 30m (98ft) high Kelpies sculptures.

The Kelpies service saw 96 lanterns floated on the pool of reflection


Catherine Topley, chief executive of Scottish Canals told BBC Scotland: "It is fitting we hold the remembrance here. The Queen and her family have been known to visit the canals and in 2017 she opened the Queen Elizabeth II canal.

"So it's a tribute to her tonight, taking a moment to reflect and remember our Queen."

In Braemar - which was at the centre of the early mourning events - a short ceremony was held including a lone piper who played The Flowers of the Forest - the tune played at the Duke of Edinburgh's funeral.

In Braemar, a piper played the same tune performed at the Duke of Edinburgh's funeral


Local resident Colin Hunter said: "I think people will do different things this evening, some will want to be at home with their families, but we thought with the links of the community to the royal family, the Royal Highland Society here which runs the annual games and the community council thought it appropriate to allow the villagers to get together for that important moment.

"Our memories as a village very much relate to the gathering. We have pictures going back 80-90 years of her attending.

"Others have personal memories because they have worked at Balmoral or met the Queen either formally or informally because it was quite common for us to bump into her."

Rev Mark E Johnstone has led a service at Glasgow Cathedral


In Glasgow, Rev Mark E Johnstone began a Service of Preparation at Glasgow Cathedral ahead of the silence.

He said: "It weighs heavily on our hearts and minds and within this ancient building we have the opportunity to reflect and prepare ourselves as we, with a nation, engage through the mystery of worship in what it means to give thanks and lay to rest."

Scottish Secretary Alister Jack paid tribute to the Queen after the national moment of reflection, and said the past few days had shown how much she "meant to people in Scotland".

"From Balmoral all the way to Edinburgh, Scots turned out in droves to pay their respects, give thanks for the Queen's lifetime of service and mourn her passing," he said.

"Tomorrow will be a day of unbearable sadness for our nation as Her Majesty is laid to rest. Our thoughts will be with our new King, Charles III, and the rest of the royal family."

Tennis Fans at the Emirates Arena in Glasgow fell silent for a minute at the Davis Cup group D match between Great Britain and Kazakhstan.

An image was beamed on the big screen as the moment was marked.

Tennis Fans at the Emirates Arena in Glasgow fell silent for a minute at the Davis Cup group D match between Great Britain and Kazakhstan


In Edinburgh, a brief service was held before the silence at Canongate Kirk on the Royal Mile.

Emily Cowan's stone tribute can be seen on the flight path to Cumbernauld Airport


The Scottish government said that communities groups, clubs and other organisations across Scotland were also encouraged to take part.

Emily Cowan from Allandale, near Bonnybridge, put together her own tribute at her workplace, CED Stone Scotland.

She used different aggregates and pebbles to make a 4.8m (15.7ft) by 3.2m (10.5ft) picture of the Queen's profile on the roof of an office building which can be seen on the flight path to Cumbernauld Airport.


National minute's silence held to remember the Queen


Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
No UK Curfew Ordered as Deepfake TikTok Falsely Attributes Decree to Prime Minister Starmer
Europe’s Largest Defence Groups Set to Return Nearly Five Billion Dollars to Shareholders in Twenty Twenty-Five
Abu Dhabi ‘Capital of Capital’: How Abu Dhabi Rose as a Sovereign Wealth Power
Diamonds Are Powering a New Quantum Revolution
Trump Threatens Strikes Against Iran if Nuclear Programme Is Restarted
Apple Escalates Legal Fight by Appealing £1.5 Billion UK Ruling Over App Store Fees
UK Debt Levels Sit Mid-Range Among Advanced Economies Despite Rising Pressures
UK Plans Royal Diplomacy with King Charles and Prince William to Reinvigorate Trade Talks with US
King Charles and Prince William Poised for Separate 2026 US Visits to Reinforce UK-US Trade and Diplomatic Ties
Apple Moves to Appeal UK Ruling Ordering £1.5 Billion in Customer Overcharge Damages
King Charles’s 2025 Christmas Message Tops UK Television Ratings on Christmas Day
The Battle Over the Internet Explodes: The United States Bars European Officials and Ignites a Diplomatic Crisis
Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie Join Royal Family at Sandringham Christmas Service
Fine Wine Investors Find Little Cheer in Third Year of Falls
UK Mortgage Rates Edge Lower as Bank of England Base Rate Cut Filters Through Lending Market
U.S. Supermarket Gives Customers Free Groceries for Christmas After Computer Glitch
Air India ‘Finds’ a Plane That Vanished 13 Years Ago
Caviar and Foie Gras? China Is Becoming a Luxury Food Powerhouse
Hong Kong Climbs to Second Globally in 2025 Tourism Rankings Behind Bangkok
From Sunniest Year on Record to Terror Plots and Sports Triumphs: The UK’s Defining Stories of 2025
Greta Thunberg Released on Bail After Arrest at London Pro-Palestinian Demonstration
Banksy Unveils New Winter Mural in London Amid Festive Season Excitement
UK Households Face Rising Financial Strain as Tax Increases Bite and Growth Loses Momentum
UK Government Approves Universal Studios Theme Park in Bedford Poised to Rival Disneyland Paris
UK Gambling Shares Slide as Traders Respond to Steep Tax Rises and Sector Uncertainty
Starmer and Trump Coordinate on Ukraine Peace Efforts in Latest Diplomatic Call
The Pilot Barricaded Himself in the Cockpit and Refused to Take Off: "We Are Not Leaving Until I Receive My Salary"
UK Fashion Label LK Bennett Pursues Accelerated Sale Amid Financial Struggles
U.S. Government Warns UK Over Free Speech in Pro-Life Campaigner Prosecution
Newly Released Files Shed Light on Jeffrey Epstein’s Extensive Links to the United Kingdom
Prince William and Prince George Volunteer Together at UK Homelessness Charity
UK Police Arrest Protesters Chanting ‘Globalise the Intifada’ as Authorities Recalibrate Free Speech Enforcement
Scambodia: The World Owes Thailand’s Military a Profound Debt of Gratitude
Women in Partial Nudity — and Bill Clinton in a Dress and Heels: The Images Revealed in the “Epstein Files”
US Envoy Witkoff to Convene Security Advisers from Ukraine, UK, France and Germany in Miami as Peace Efforts Intensify
UK Retailers Report Sharp Pre-Christmas Sales Decline and Weak Outlook, CBI Survey Shows
UK Government Rejects Use of Frozen Russian Assets to Fund Aid for Ukraine
UK Financial Conduct Authority Opens Formal Investigation into WH Smith After Accounting Errors
UK Issues Final Ultimatum to Roman Abramovich Over £2.5bn Chelsea Sale Funds for Ukraine
Rare Pink Fog Sweeps Across Parts of the UK as Met Office Warns of Poor Visibility
UK Police Pledge ‘More Assertive’ Enforcement to Tackle Antisemitism at Protests
UK Police Warn They Will Arrest Protesters Chanting ‘Globalise the Intifada’
Trump Files $10 Billion Defamation Lawsuit Against BBC as Broadcaster Pledges Legal Defence
UK Says U.S. Tech Deal Talks Still Active Despite Washington’s Suspension of Prosperity Pact
UK Mortgage Rules to Give Greater Flexibility to Borrowers With Irregular Incomes
UK Treasury Moves to Position Britain as Leading Global Hub for Crypto Firms
U.S. Freezes £31 Billion Tech Prosperity Deal With Britain Amid Trade Dispute
Prince Harry and Meghan’s Potential UK Return Gains New Momentum Amid Security Review and Royal Dialogue
Zelensky Opens High-Stakes Peace Talks in Berlin with Trump Envoy and European Leaders
Historical Reflections on Press Freedom Emerge Amid Debate Over Trump’s Media Policies
×