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Royal Regiment of Scotland given freedom of Inverclyde

News imageInverclyde Council A marching band in ceremonial Scottish dress parades along a residential street. Band members wear red tunics, tartan kilts, white spats, and tall black feathered hats while carrying brass instruments, including trombones, tubas, and trumpets. A drum major in a tiger-patterned tunic walks near the front of the procession. Rows of grey houses line the street beneath a cloudy sky.Inverclyde Council
The regiment became the first group ever granted the freedom of Inverclyde

The Royal Regiment of Scotland have been given the freedom of Inverclyde at a special event last weekend.

Hundreds of people turned out to watch the regiment march from the Esplanade to Battery Park in Greenock where the official ceremony took place.

It marked the first time anyone has received the freedom of Inverclyde, and local dignitaries said it recognised "the brave men and women from Inverclyde who have served in our armed forces".

The parade saw the regiment accompanied by The Band of the Royal Regiment of Scotland and the skirl of the pipes and drums from 2 SCOTS Pipes, Drums and Bugles.

The Royal Regiment of Scotland was formed in 2006 through the amalgamation of six of Scotland's historic regiments, and consists of several battalions.

The soldiers have served in many conflicts and peacekeeping missions worldwide, including operations in Iraq, Afghanistan and the Balkans.

Councillors last year agreed to recognise what it described as "the service, dedication and sacrifice" of the regiment, and its strong historical ties with Inverclyde, with £25,000 in the 2025/26 budget set aside for the event.

News imageInverclyde Council A military-style pipe and rifle marching unit parades along a tree-lined road. Members wear dark formal jackets, tartan kilts, feathered glengarry caps, white spats, and red-and-black hose, marching in formation while carrying ceremonial rifles. At the front, a leader wearing medals and a sash carries a ceremonial sword. Flags can be seen further back in the procession.Inverclyde Council
The Royal Regiment has long-held ties to the Inverclyde area

Members of the public followed the parade into Battery Park and then gathered alongside veterans from Inverclyde Argylls, Greenock Argylls, members of Inverclyde Veterans Network and the Army and Air Cadets.

The service began with a welcome from the Lord Lieutenant of Renfrewshire, Colonel Peter McCarthy.

Provost of Inverclyde Drew McKenzie gave a speech and then handed over the Freedom of Inverclyde scroll to Major-General Robin Lindsay, colonel of the Royal Regiment of Scotland.

A private reception was later held at nearby Gourock Primary School.

McKenzie said there was a "great atmosphere" on the day.

He added: "It is important that we recognise the brave men and women from Inverclyde who have served in our armed forces – and who continue to do so - and this was an historic way for us to do that."

News imageInverclyde Council A large group poses for a photograph on a grassy waterfront. The group includes uniformed cadets in camouflage, participants in formal military-style dress with medals and ceremonial headwear, and representatives from youth and veterans' organisations. A body of water and distant hills are visible in the background beneath a cloudy sky.Inverclyde Council
The Royal Regiment of Scotland formed in 2006

Major-General Robin Lindsay, colonel of The Royal Regiment of Scotland, said: "We are deeply honoured to be the first recipients of the freedom of Inverclyde, a community with which the Royal Regiment of Scotland shares a rich and enduring connection.

"The number of veterans on parade clearly shows the support and our strong connection with the region."

The creation of the Royal Regiment of Scotland in 2006 caused controversy at the time, as it meant names of famous regiments - such as the Royal Scots and the Kings Own Scottish Borderers - were dispensed with.

Others such as the Black Watch and the Royal Highland Fusiliers then reformed as one of the battalions in the new regiment.