King Charles is joined by the Prime Minister at Balmoral as anniversary of accession is marked

King Charles has been joined by the Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, at Balmoral on an important occasion.

The King is marking three years since his accession and was with the Prime Minister at a service at Crathie Kirk where prayers were said for the anniversary.

It is also, of course, the third anniversary of the death of Queen Elizabeth II with Her Late Majesty also remembered.

There were prayers, too, for the Duchess of Kent who died on September 4 2025 at the age of 92.

Earlier in the weekend, King Charles and Queen Camilla had joined a minute’s silence in tribute to the Duchess which was held at the start of the Braemar Gathering.

On both occasions, The King wore a black jacket and tie in mourning for the Duchess.

The Prime Minister traditionally joins the Monarch and the Royal Family at Balmoral for a weekend towards the end of the summer break there.

Sir Keir and his wife, Lady Starmer, arrived at the end of a tumultuous week which had seen the Deputy Prime Minister, Angela Rayner, leave that role and her Cabinet position after she admitted underpaying tax on the purchase of a flat in Hove. The new Deputy Prime Minister is David Lammy.

Sir Keir and Lady Starmer arrived at the tiny church by car with Victoria Starmer choosing a striking red dress with black hat for the service at Crathie Kirk.

The sermon was given by the Right Reverend Rosie Frew, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.

Dame Joanna Lumley was also at Crathie Kirk alongside the royal party.

King Charles is expected to pass the third anniversary of his accession, September 8, quietly at Balmoral. It was at the Scottish royal residence that he became Monarch when his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, died there at 3.10pm. The news of Her Late Majesty’s death was announced at 6.30pm.

The King is then expected to return to London and it won’t be long before his next meeting with Sir Keir, who is the third Prime Minister of his reign. As well as the weekly meeting or phone call between Monarch and Prime Minister, Charles III and Sir Keir will be heavily involved in the State Visit of the US President, Donald Trump, which takes place at Windsor Castle between September 17 and 19.