Prince William Honors Warship Construction Workers at the BAE Systems Shipyard in Glasgow

Prince William and Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, have officially kick-started their weeklong visit to Scotland, running from June 28 to July 1, in commemoration of Holyrood Week—known in Scotland as Royal Week—during which they plan to celebrate community, innovation, and Scottish history in a slew of engagements. William and the queen are set to highlight and honor various services spearheaded by select Scottish businesses, charities, and institutions that leverage education, community engagement, and the battle against climate change.

Royal Week in Scotland is an annual tradition for the queen, where at each turn of the month from June to July, she visits regions of Scotland in celebration of Scottish culture and community, hosting thousands at the Palace of Holyroodhouse to publicly commemorate the great work done by Scots of various occupations and walks of life. This year's visit north of the border marks the queen's first return visit since the death of her late husband, Prince Philip.

For William, who is known in Scotland as the Earl of Strathearn, this visit also comes after his recent royal tour of Scotland with Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, back in May. At the outset of his previous Scotland tour with the duchess, the Duke of Cambridge shared in a heartfelt speech the bittersweet significance the nation of Scotland holds in his heart, noting that it was not only the place that he and Kate attended university and first met, but also where he had first learned about the death of his mother, the late Princess Diana. "Scotland is incredibly important to me and will always have a special place in my heart. I've been coming to Scotland since I was a small boy. Scotland is the source of some of my happiest memories. But also, my saddest," the prince said in the speech.

"And yet alongside this painful memory is one of great joy. Because it was here in Scotland–20 years ago this year–that I first met Catherine. Needless to say, the town where you meet your future wife holds a very special place in your heart," he continued. "George, Charlotte, and Louis already know how dear Scotland is to both of us, and they are starting to build their own happy memories here too. We have no doubt they will grow up sharing our love and connection to Scotland from the Highlands to the Central Belt, from the Islands to the Borders."

Look on to see photographed highlights of William and the queen's 2021 visit to Scotland for Royal Week.