King Charles has taken part in one of the oldest and most unusual royal traditions at the start of an important week for his family.
The King oversaw the Ceremony of the Keys, the special rite that happens when the Monarch arrives at one of their most symbolic residences.
Charles III was presented with the keys of the City of Edinburgh as he took up residence at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in the heart of the Scottish capital.
As is traditional, the Lord Provost presented His Majesty with the keys to symbolise his arrival in Edinburgh. Councillor Robert Aldridge offered the keys to The King on a velvet cushion.
Tradition demands that The King actually receive the keys and so Charles III lay his hand on them.
As is usual, The King then ceremonially returned them to the Lord Provost for safekeeping.
The Balaklava Company, the 5th Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland was on parade to welcome The King to Holyyroodhouse, his official residence in Scotland. Although King Charles has other homes in the country, they are private – among the most famous of his Scottish residences is Balmoral Castle.
During the Ceremony of the Keys, King Charles inspected the company.
The traditional event marked the official start of Scotland Week, the annual week or so of engagements carried out every summer by The King and Queen who will also be joined by other members of the Royal Family for this important time.
The King chose a trouser suit for the Ceremony of the Keys. Just a few days earlier, on another visit to Edinburgh, he had worn a kilt for the opening of the Scottish Parliament’s 7th session.
Royal Week will see The King and Queen carry out a range of engagements across Scotland. While The King was overseeing the Ceremony of the Keys, Queen Camilla was meeting one of Scotland’s most famous authors, J.K. Rowling.
Later, King Charles and Queen Camilla were joined by the Princess Royal for a garden party at Holyroodhouse.
The Queen chose a dark navy outfit with wide brimmed hat while Princess Anne was in another rewear after a month when raiding her wardrobe has won her new fashion fans. Her latest pick was a dark red patterned coat with a matching scarf that she paired with a huge hat that gave The Queen a run for her money.
Royal Week in Scotland continues until July 3.
