A date with Destiny for Scottish film hero

Also present was Ian Hamilton, the man who removed the iconic stone from Westminster Abbey as a student and returned it to Scotland nearly 60 years ago.

The event followed the release of the feature film Stone of Destiny, which premiered in the Scottish capital over the weekend. It also coincides with the publication of Mr Hamilton's book Stone of Destiny.

The origins of the stone have been lost to history, but it is believed to have been used at Iona and Scone for enthroning a succession of monarchs.

It was captured by Edward I of England in 1296, who took it south and placed it in Westminster Abbey in London where it remained for the next 700 years.

On Christmas Day 1950, Mr Hamilton and three other nationalist students stole the stone and drove north.

The Stone resurfaced around four months later having been left by the thieves in Arbroath Abbey, draped in a saltire, and it was later returned to the English capital.

The stone came back to Scotland in 1996 and has been held in Edinburgh Castle ever since.

Mr Salmond said: "I am personally grateful to everyone involved in bringing to people – in Scotland and abroad – one of the most inspirational stories in Scotland's history.

"None of this would have been possible without Ian Hamilton and his colleagues – Alan Stewart, Gavin Vernon and Kay Matheson – who were game enough to break into Westminster Abbey to reclaim the Stone of Destiny,

"Ian, who after a distinguished career as a QC, went on to detail its significance in a book for others to enjoy.

"The moment of that rescue attempt in late 1950 marked the reawakening of a sense of Scottish nationhood."

Mr Hamilton said: "I'm delighted that the Scottish Government decided to host an event in celebration of the Stone of Destiny.

"It's 60 years since I last saw the stone. It was well worth the wait to see it again."