On Sunday, Aug. 20, 2023, First Presbyterian Church of Greenville, S.C.’s Senior Pastor Rev. Dr. Richard Gibbons was the guest of Britain's King Charles III and Queen Camilla, at Balmoral Castle on Royal Deeside, Scotland. 

Gibbons and his wife, Ruth, joined the Royal Family at their highland home, following morning worship at Crathie Parish Church where Gibbons, a native of Scotland, was the guest preacher.

"King Charles and Queen Camilla could not have been more welcoming or hospitable,” Gibbons said. “It was the privilege of a lifetime to conduct worship at Crathie; I was deeply honored to be invited, and thrilled that members of the Royal Family were in attendance."

Queen Elizabeth II, the UK's longest-serving monarch passed away at Balmoral on Sept. 8, 2022.

Gibbons also was the guest chaplain to the U.S. Senate on July 26.

Gibbons began his ministry as the 10th senior pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Greenville on Sept. 1, 2007. As the primary preacher and leader of the pastoral staff, Gibbons plans and coordinates the church’s consistent biblical teaching and worship.

Gibbons began biblical studies at Glasgow Bible College in 1982, where several years later he supervised the student placement program and lectured in evangelism, communications, and practical homiletics. 

He initiated missions in Glasgow, Edinburgh, and Aberdeen with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.

While serving The Church of Scotland's Board of National Mission in Inverness, from 1997 to 2007 Gibbons served as a regional development officer to eight highland presbyteries and then as the moderator of the Presbytery of Inverness.

Gibbons currently acts as co-moderator on the ECO denomination’s Theological Task Force.

He holds joint honors in Ecclesiastical History and Systematic Theology from the University of Glasgow and a Doctor of Ministry Degree from Highland Theological College.