King Charles and the Queen consort have shaken hands and spoken to the public during a historic visit to Northern Ireland.
Her Majesty took a short walk in Hillsborough before a meeting with the country’s political leaders.
His arrival in Northern Ireland marks the first visit to the country by a British king in almost 80 years. King Charles has now visited 40 times, but this is his first time as monarch.
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The king is now at Hillsborough Castle, Northern Ireland’s royal residence, where he will meet political leaders, including Sinn Fein’s vice president.
The monarch and queen consort, who are on their Operation Spring Tide tour of the UK, will later travel to London, where the monarch will receive his mother’s coffin at Buckingham Palace.
The royal couple were met by a group of dignitaries, including new Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris, at Belfast City Airport after their flight from Edinburgh.
Image: King Charles III is greeted by Ella Smith, 10, and Lucas Watt, 10, at Belfast City Airport Image: King Charles III waves to onlookers after arriving at the airport of the city of Belfast
Lord Lieutenant of Belfast Fionnuala Jay-O’Boyle and Belfast City Airport Chief Executive Matthew Hall were also present as the King and Queen Consort left their plane shortly after midday.
Ella Smith and Lucas Watt, both 10, from Forge Integrated Primary School in Belfast, presented the king with a gift of truffles with an image of the Giant’s Causeway in the tin, while Camilla received a small bouquet of flowers from the gardens of Hillsborough Castle.
Meanwhile, hundreds of people are gathering in the village of Royal Hillsborough ahead of the king’s arrival, with many lining the village’s high street near the castle.
Spectators are driven into the village on shuttle buses amid a massive security operation.
Once at the castle, the King and Queen Consort will hold a private audience with Mr Heaton-Harris and receive a message of condolence on behalf of the people of the country from the Speaker of the Stormont Assembly, Alex Maskey.
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They will then be joined by members of the public for a reception at the castle hosted by Mr. Heaton-Harris.
The royal couple will also meet Sinn Fein deputy leader Michelle O’Neill.
The meeting highlights the rapid evolution of Irish republican politics over the last decade.
In 2011, Sinn Fein was widely criticized for boycotting the Queen’s state visit to Ireland. It was the first state visit by a British monarch since Ireland gained independence from Britain a century ago.
Image: Hundreds of people have gathered outside Hillsborough Castle
After their engagements at the castle are over, King Charles and Camilla will travel to St Anne’s Cathedral in Belfast for a reflection service for the Queen’s life.
People have already started to gather outside the cathedral ahead of the king’s visit this afternoon.
Irish President Michael D Higgins and his wife Sabina, Taoiseach Micheal Martin and Foreign Minister Simon Coveney will attend the memorial service.
The royal couple will also meet leaders of all the main faiths in Northern Ireland.
Image: Flowers and tributes have been laid outside Hillsborough Castle following the Queen’s death
Members of the public have been invited to walk the streets between the castle and the cathedral as King Charles and Camilla will tour Main Street and Lisburn Street in Hillsborough, before heading into Belfast via Wellington Place, Donegall Square North, Chichester Street and Victoria Street. .
The King and Queen Consort will also visit Writers’ Square in Belfast, which will remain closed to the public.
Meanwhile, the Queen’s coffin will make a moving journey to Buckingham Palace from St Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh.
Members of the public are already queuing for the Queen in state at London’s Westminster Hall, which opens on Wednesday, and thousands are still laying flowers and tributes in Green Park.