A night to remember at the 2026 Royal Company of Merchants Court Dinner

It was a pleasure to welcome fellow Liveries from across the United Kingdom to our Court Dinner on Friday, 23 October 2026. Beneath the magnificent dome of The Merchants Hall, guests enjoyed an evening of conversation, friendship and fine dining, celebrating the enduring bonds between our Companies and all that we achieve together.

The evening featured a delectable five-course menu, complemented by carefully selected wine pairings. Guests enjoyed thoughtful reflections from the evening's speakers including The Chaplain Russell Duncan, The Master Mr Grant Macrae, The Treasurer Miss Katie Ridland, and our distinguished guest speaker, Mr Ewan Aitken. A particular highlight for many was the stirring performance by The Royal Regiment of Scotland Pipes and Drums, whose music celebrated our Scottish heritage with great pride and splendour. The evening concluded with the traditional Stirrup Cup, featuring our own Royal Company of Merchants whisky, providing a fitting finale to a celebration of the tradition and values that unite our Company.

If the Court Dinner was the main event, then Saturday's Fellowship Brunch was the perfect after-party!

The following day, our visiting Livery guests were invited to partake in a fascinating private tour of the Scottish War Memorial situated in the heart of Edinburgh Castle. This gave our guests an insight into how our country has commemorated the lives given by military personnel, civilians, and those who served in Scottish regiments during the World Wars and subsequent conflicts. 

Once the tour came to a close, all invitees congregated at The Merchants Hall where an assortment of beautifully prepared small plates, delicious Bloody Mary's, and some more scintillating conversation between Liveries, Members and guests awaited. 

We were delighted to welcome so many distinguished guests and would like to extend our sincere thanks to the individuals and organisations whose contributions helped make the weekend such a success. We have been positively overwhelmed by the many letters, cards and messages of thanks received since, and are deeply grateful for the kind words and positive feedback shared by so many of our guests.