Lady Elish Angiolini re-appointed as Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly

The first practising Roman Catholic to represent King Charles at the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland is to reprise her role this year.

His Majesty has approved the re-appointment of Lady Elish Angiolini LT, DBE, KC as his personal representative at the annual gathering in Edinburgh, which runs from 15- 18 May.

Last year, Lady Elish said she was "profoundly honoured" to have been chosen as the first practising Roman Catholic to be Lord High Commissioner, who makes the opening and closing addresses to the Assembly and carries out several official functions.

She told commissioners - ministers, elders and deacons - that she believed that prejudice and sectarianism can be overcome by the recognition that we are "all Jock Tamson's bairns."

People are the creation of God, and all require "love, forgiveness and support" in all their imperfection, she said.

Lady Elish's appointment was only made possible after both Houses of Parliament in London changed a law dating back to 1689 that barred Roman Catholics from holding the role.

Honoured

In November 2022, the historic St Margaret's Declaration of friendship between the Church of Scotland and the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland was signed at the Abbey Church of Dunfermline in the presence of Her Royal Highness, The Princess Royal, who served as Lord High Commissioner in 2017.

Lady Elish grew up in Govan in Glasgow and studied law at the University of Strathclyde.

She was appointed Solicitor General for Scotland in 2001, the first woman, the first procurator fiscal and the first solicitor to hold the post.

Lady Eilish served as Lord Advocate of Scotland from 2006 until 2011, the most senior law officer in Scotland, from 2006-2011, serving two different Scottish governments.

Since 2023, she has served as Lord Clerk Register, the first woman to hold the role since its creation in the 13th century.

Lady Eilish was made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) for services to the administration of justice in 2011 and, in 2022, was appointed by Her Late Majesty The Queen to the Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle.

She was Principal of St Hugh's College, Oxford from 2012 to 2025 and served as Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford from 2017 to 2025.

Rev Dr John McPake, Acting Principal Clerk to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, said: "We are honoured that His Majesty has once again appointed Lady Elish Angiolini as Lord High Commissioner.

"We very much look forward to welcoming her to the General Assembly 2026."

Service

Other members of the Royal Family have served as Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly.

Prince Edward, the Duke of Edinburgh, undertook the role in 2024 and his nephew, HRH Prince William, the Prince of Wales, held the position in 2021.

The King attended while he was the Prince of Wales in 2000.

The late Queen Elizabeth attended the General Assembly in person in 1969 and 2002 and also visited the General Assembly in 1977 as part of her Silver Jubilee celebrations.

The Moderator Designate for 2026-27 is Rev Gordon Kennedy, who will chair the Assembly and thereafter serve as the Church's ambassador at home and abroad for 12 months.

He will succeed Rt Rev Rosie Frew.