The spectacular £12m refurbished royal palace at Stirling Castle has been officially opened by Her Majesty the Queen today.

The First Minister Alex Salmond joined Her Majesty and His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh to meet some of the many craftspeople who created the intricate carvings, tapestries and paintings that bring the royal apartments to life as Scotland’s most recently opened heritage attraction.

First Minister Alex Salmond said: “The re-creation of the Royal Palace at Stirling as it would have looked during the reign of the Stewart dynasty is testament to the magnificent craftsmanship and dedication of a superb conservation team from both Scotland and France.

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“The three-year refurbishment by Historic Scotland will bring real benefits to the tourist economy both for Stirling and Scotland as a whole and begins a new chapter in the history of one of our country’s best-loved attractions.”

Around 5,000 visitors flocked to the grand opening weekend celebrations on June 4th for the six royal apartments in the palace building which was the childhood home of Mary Queen of Scots and her mother, Mary of Guise.

The refurbished palace also includes a state of the art gallery to house the 34 surviving Stirling Heads, the 16th century carved wooden roundels that would have adorned the ceiling of the King’s Inner Hall.

(GK/KMcA)