In 1822 George IV visited Scotland, the first British reigning monarch to visit for nearly two hundred years. The Kings' programme and accompanying pageantry, centred on Edinburgh, was devised by the Scottish writer, Sir Walter Scott. Wilkie depicted the moment when the King is presented with the keys to the Palace of Holyroodhouse, his ancient Scottish royal residence, by the Duke of Hamilton, the premier peer of Scotland and Hereditary Keeper of the Palace. The painting has suffered from an excessive use of mastic resin mixed with oil paint (megilp) which Wilkie used to achieve the rich depth of tone he had seen in the work of Rembrandt and other Dutch masters. This technique has resulted in large areas of visible craquelure. Commissioned by George IV