If you haven't been living under a rock, you must have seen King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla's latest photos from their first joint public engagement since the royal mourning period on social media. The now-viral pictures show that large crowds turned out on the streets of Dunfermline, Fife, north of Edinburgh to see and hopefully greet the new monarch.
For his Scotland visit, Charles wore a traditional kilt that matched Camilla's green coat. After greeting Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and other leaders, the King spent some time shaking hands with his well-wishers.
The royal couple formally gave city status to Dunfermline on their visit. For those unaware, Dunfermline is the birthplace of the last British monarch born in Scotland, King Charles I, who reigned in the 17th century.
Dunfermline was among the many towns that received city status during the Platinum Jubilee celebrations.
Charles gave a speech during his Scotland visit. Addressing the people of Dunfermline, he said, "There could be no more fitting way to mark my beloved mother’s extraordinary life of service than by granting this honour to a place made famous by its own long and distinguished history, and by the indispensable role it has played in the life of our country."
"We gather to celebrate this great occasion but also to commemorate the life of Her late Majesty, whose deep love for Scotland was one of the foundations of her life," he added.
Charles and Camilla also hosted a reception at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh to celebrate British South Asian communities. The event recognises contributions made by British Indians, Pakistanis, and many other South Asian communities to the UK’s National Health Service, arts, media, education, business and the Armed Forces.
The King has been involved with British Asian communities for many years through his work with The British Asian Trust, which he founded in 2007 with a group of British Asian business leaders. The organisation tackles widespread poverty, inequality and injustice and supports disadvantaged communities in South Asia.
Charles ascended to the throne automatically upon the death of his mother Elizabeth II in Balmoral Castle, Scotland on September 8. After the initial 10 days of national mourning, the royal family extended the mourning period for a week after Britain's longest-reigning monarch's funeral on September 19.
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