From Edinburgh to London, with love: Stone of Scone arrives for King Charles coronation

Scotland's ancient relic Stone of Scone touched down in London this week ahead of the highly-anticipated coronation of King Charles III. The weighty block of sandstone, also called the Stone of Destiny, left Edinburgh Castle to be affixed to the Coronation Chair as the monarch prepares to formally take the British throne on May 6.

To welcome it at Westminster Abbey, Dean of Westminster Dr David Hoyle urged the crowd to "pray for their majesties King Charles and Queen Camilla, for the Royal Family, and for God's blessing on all those who now work so hard on the preparations for the coronation". 

The 125kg relic has been a valuable part of several royal ceremonies for nearly a thousand years, according to Sky News. For Joseph Morrow, the Lord Lyon of Scotland, the stone is an "ancient symbol of sovereignty" that has been used for centuries to "sanctify the inauguration of monarchs from time immemorial and in our recorded history from as early as the accession of Malcolm III of Scotland in 1058".

A brief history of the Stone of Destiny

Shedding light on the rich history of the relic, Morrow said that "the stone was taken from its place in the Abbey of Scone to this abbey church in 1296 by command of King Edward I in an act of enmity. It was returned to Scotland in 1996 by command of Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in an act of amity". 

The Stone of Destiny now reunites with the royal family "as an act of unity and a symbol of friendship" for the coronation, after which it will be returned to Scotland. But back home, the ancient stone's trip to the UK has been a matter of debate among Scottish politicians, including former First Minister Alex Salmond. Earlier in March, Salmond said that the national relic that was "stolen 700 years ago" must not be a part of the coronation as British authorities have long rejected Scotland's desire for an independence referendum.