King and Queen joined by Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh for Sovereign's Garden Party at Palace of Holyroodhouse
Charles joined garden party attendees at Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh READ MORE: Queen Mary of Denmark walks hand-in-hand with King Frederik during visit to Greenland alongside twin children Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine
King Charles III appeared in high spirits during the Sovereign's Garden Party at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh today.
The glamorous event is part of the monarch's trip to Scotland for Holyrood Week - the official visit by the Sovereign to the nation made every July - to celebrate its culture, community, and achievement.
Dressed to the nines in a morning suit and top hat, His Majesty was joined by Queen Camilla as they walked down the red carpet-lined stairs to guests waiting in the garden.
Camilla, 76, looked equally elegant in a summery blue ensemble from Fiona Clare London, complete with a matching hat.
Joining Charles and Camilla for the occasion were the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh.
King Charles appeared in high spirits as he attended the Sovereign's Garden Party at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh
Sophie, 59, cut an elegant figure in a short-sleeved light blue Roland Mouret dress, nude kitten heels and Jane Taylor London hat.
Elsewhere, 60-year-old Prince Edward looked dapper in a top hat and morning suit, matching his brother Charles.
The monarch appeared in high spirits as he met with garden party attendees, who each donned their brightest floral patterns for the joyous occasion.
The King was formally welcomed to Scotland today in a ceremony whose origins stretch back centuries.
His Majesty was handed the keys to the City of Edinburgh on a red velvet cushion by the Lord Provost in what is known as the Ceremony of the Keys at The Palace of Holyroodhouse, his official residence in Edinburgh.
The gesture signals the start of what is known as Holyrood Week.
This year events are, however, being restricted to just two days as His Majesty needs to return to London for Thursday's General Election.
The King and Queen flew in by helicopter from Birkhall, their Scottish home, where they had spent the weekend.
His Majesty, 75, is in Edinburgh to mark Holyrood Week, the official visit by the Sovereign to Scotland every July to celebrate Scottish culture, community, and achievement.
Camilla and the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh (pictured from left to right) joined Charles at the event
King Charles at the Ceremony of the Keys at the The Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh on Tuesday
Charles has travelled to the Scottish capital for two days of royal engagements (Pictured: The Ceremony of the Keys)
His Majesty met with Service Chiefs before receiving a Royal Salute and inspecting the Balaklava Company
King Charles is pictured with the Lord Provost of Edinburgh Councillor Robert Aldridge at the Ceremony of the Keys on Tuesday
Holyrood Week is shorter than in previous years due to the general election (Pictured: King Charles at the Ceremony of the Keys)
Standing in the gardens of the palace, the King was greeted by a Guard of Honour provided by Balaklava Company, 5 Scots.
Music was provided by The Band of the Royal Regiment of Scotland and Pipes and Drums of 2nd Battalion Royal Regiment of Scotland.
Also on Parade were the Palace Guard found by Balaklava Company, 5 SCOTS, The King's Bodyguard Scotland (Royal Company of Archers) - which has functioned since created by George IV in 1822 as the Sovereign's ceremonial 'Bodyguard for Scotland' - and the High Constables of the Palace of Holyroodhouse.
A royal gun salute was simultaneously fired at Edinburgh Castle as the sovereign arrived.
King Charles received a Royal Salute before inspecting the troops through an 'Avenue of Archers'.
The Lord Provost, Councillor Robert Aldridge, then presented the Keys to the City of Edinburgh to His Majesty, saying: 'We, the Lord Provost and the members of the City of Edinburgh Council, welcome Your Majesty to the capital city of your Ancient and Hereditary Kingdom of Scotland and offer for your gracious acceptance the Keys of Your Majesty's good City of Edinburgh.'
According to tradition, the King merely touched them before returning them to the Lord Provost for safe keeping, replying: 'I return these keys, being perfectly convinced that they cannot be placed in better hands than those of the Lord Provost and Councillors of my good City of Edinburgh.'
In the audience was D-Day veteran Cyril Bird, 100, from Edinburgh, who was serving with the Royal Tank Regiment in Normandy.
His wife, Liz, said: 'As a country we do this thing really well.
'It's so important to keep these traditions alive and well and very important to my husband and gah fellow D-Day veterans to be here.
Pictured: A D-Day veteran Cyril Bird, 100, who is from Edinburgh attended the ceremony on Tuesday
The Ceremony of the Keys (pictured today) takes place at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh
King Charles III receives the keys to the City of Edinburgh from Lord Provost Councillor Robert Aldridge
The Lord Provost presents the Keys to the City of Edinburgh to His Majesty who will return them for safe keeping (pictured: The Ceremony of the Keys)
The Ceremony of the Keys (pictured) will take place in the Gardens of The Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh
Soldiers of the Royal Regiment of Scotland at the Ceremony of the Keys on the forecourt of the Palace of Holyroodhouse
Each year the monarch traditionally spends a week based at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh. The Ceremony of the Keys is normally part of this week
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'It's also marvellous to see the King looking so well considering everything he is going through.'
Today the King also held an investiture while the Queen hosted a reception to celebrate those who work to promote Scottish Literacy.
Their Majesties, joined by The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, also hosted guests at a Garden Party.
On Wednesday the King and Queen will be joined by the Prince of Wales, whose Scottish title is the Duke of Rothesay, at the Thistle Service at St Giles' Cathedral, where Camilla and Edward will be appointed to the Order of the Thistle.
Charles and Camilla will round off the trip by joining a celebration with various performers, guests and organisations at Edinburgh Castle to mark the city's 900th anniversary.
Recipients of investitures include bestselling author Sir Alexander McCall Smith, creator of The No 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series and the 44 Scotland Street novels, who will receive a knighthood for services to literature, academia and charity.
Soldiers move into position, ahead the Ceremony of the Keys on the forecourt of the Palace of Holyroodhouse today
His Majesty met Service Chiefs before receiving a Royal Salute and inspecting the Balaklava Company
King Charles is expected to be in the Scottish capital for two days to mark the city's 900th anniversary and Holyrood Week
Others to be honoured on Tuesday, after being named in the King's New Year Honours, include Paul Mealor, professor of composition at the University of Aberdeen.
He will become a Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order (LVO) - a gift given by the King to people who have served him or the monarchy in a personal way.
Professor Mealor composed Coronation Kyrie for the King's coronation last year and has composed music for other royal occasions over the past decade, including the wedding of the Prince and Princess of Wales in 2011, and Charles's 65th, 70th and 75th birthdays.
Professor Sir Jim McDonald, principal of the University of Strathclyde, will be appointed to the most senior rank of the Order of the British Empire.
He was appointed Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire in the New Year Honours list, for services to engineering, education and energy.
Sir Jim became principal and vice-chancellor of the university in March 2009 following a long association with Strathclyde, studying his bachelor of science, masters and PhD degrees in the areas of electronic and electrical engineering, power systems and energy economics.
Liz Smith, a former Scotland cricketer who is now a Conservative MSP, will become a CBE for services to sport.
King Charles III takes part in the Ceremony of the Keys on the forecourt of the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh
The Ceremony of the Keys is a key part of the Monarch's annual trip to Scotland. Pictured, today's event
King Charles pictured inspecting the Balaklava Company at the Ceremony of the Keys in Edinburgh
As part of the Ceremony of the Keys, the King is welcomed into the city of Edinburgh, His Majesty's 'ancient and hereditary kingdom of Scotland'
The monarch then ceremoniously returns the keys, entrusting them to the elected officials of the city as part of the ceremony on Tuesday (Pictured at the ceremony)
The Mid Scotland and Fife MSP won seven caps with the Scottish Ladies' Cricket XI and is also a former president of the Scottish Women's Cricket Association.
She no longer plays professionally but is still involved in the sport through coaching.
Members of the emergency services are also be honoured on Tuesday.
They include Police Scotland Chief Superintendent Faroque Hussain, who will receive the King's Police Medal.
Mr Hussain, from Largs, is the first ethnic minority police officer to progress through the ranks from constable to the post of chief superintendent.
The tactical firearms commander won praise for his adept handling of the response to Operation Unicorn - where he was responsible for all firearms officers involved in the large-scale policing operation put in place following the death of the Queen in September 2022.
Retired chief superintendent Carol McGuire, from Symington, and Police Constable Stephanie Rose, from Denny, will receive the King's Police Medal.
Ms McGuire joined Strathclyde Police in 1995 and retired in October last year.
During the course of her career she undertook a secondment to the football co-ordination unit Scotland, where she developed the country's first national strategy for the policing of football.
PC Rose developed the Keep Safe initiative in partnership with I Am Me Scotland, which was piloted in Renfrewshire in 2014 before becoming a national programme in 2015.
The initiative creates a network of local businesses to establish Keep Safe places for disabled, vulnerable and elderly people to go if they feel lost, confused, scared or intimidated, or have been the victim of a crime.