The Lord Provost’s Guard of Honour
The Lord Provost’s Guard of Honour
Responsibility
It is an honour to be a member of an organisation that is over 400 years old. The Society offers opportunity for members to find friendship and experience a connection with the living history of Edinburgh.
Membership of the Society is also a serious commitment. The average length of service is 25 years and brings responsibilities to the Lord Provost and Council of the City of Edinburgh, to the Society and to the Ward.
These responsibilities are not taken lightly. To reflect this, new members of the Society must complete an Oath to the Crown and the City, duly witnessed and notarised.
I do solemnly, sincerely and truly declare and affirm that I will be faithful and bear true Allegiance to His Majesty King Charles III and his heirs and successors according to law.
I hereby declare that I will be faithful and diligent in the discharge of my duties as a High Constable of Edinburgh.
How to Join
If you require further information, please contact us using the contact form on this website or by email to secretary@edinburghhighconstables.org.uk.
Potential members must or have been involved in the business or professional life of the City of Edinburgh.
The Society has approximately 10 vacancies arise each year. There is no upper age limit and members remain in the Society until they believe they can no longer serve the City on the grounds of ill health or unavoidable other commitments.
Our constitution has a geographic rule that means that potential members must be registered to vote at an address in the City of Edinburgh Council area, or have their place of business within that area, on the date of their election to the Society.
You can check whether a residential or work address lies within the City of Edinburgh Council area using an online postcode check on the UK government website. Click on the image below to see if your address is eligible.
Members have responsibilities to the Lord Provost, The Society and their Ward.
Failure to meet these responsibilities may result in a member being asked to resign from the Society.
As of October 2026:
Joining Fee: £40 (covering entry, equipment issue and a Society tie/cravat)
Annual Levy, as set at the Society AGM in April: £65.
Charitable Trust Annual Voluntary Contribution, as suggested at the Society AGM in April: £40. This is voluntary.
Members are also expected to obtain the necessary items of uniform to comply with the Uniform order. Wards may be able to assist in locating second-hand items.
Members must also be prepared to pay their share of the cost of Ward, Society and Society Sporting Club events that they attend.
If you are interested in joining the Society, meet the eligibility requirement and are committed to meet the responsibilities of membership, then we would be interested in hearing from you.
Applications to join the Society are managed by the Wards.
If you know a member of the Society, feel free to meet with them to discuss the Society and to arrange an informal meeting with their Ward or another Ward that has a vacancy.
If you do not know a member of the Society, then you should contact the Society Secretary to discuss the Society. If you agree to proceed then the Society Secretary will pass your details on to all Wards with vacancies to allow them to arrange an informal meeting with you.
If you and the Ward agree to proceed after your informal meeting, then the Ward will nominate you to fill their vacancy,
The Ward Secretary will ask you to complete a simple application form.
The Ward will then submit the form to the Society Secretary for presentation to the next meeting of the Committee of the Society. In normal circumstances the membership nomination is then re-presented to the following meeting for the purpose of election.
The Society Secretary will then writes to you confirming your election, outlining the amounts for payment, the procedure to be followed to take the Oath of Allegiance and the method by which you should collect your Society equipment from the Custodier.
Your Ward will then make you welcome and then assist you with participating in the life of the Society.