King Charles III participated in a joint public event on Monday with his wife, Queen Consort Camilla, their first since the end of 10 days of mourning honoring the memory of the King’s mother, Queen Elizabeth II.
The royal couple visited Scotland to confer city status upon Dunfermline, a town just northwest of Edinburgh and the birthplace of King Charles I, the last British monarch to be born in Scotland.
Dunfermline is also the burial place of Robert the Bruce, King of Scots and leader of his countrymen in the First War of Scottish Independence.
At a public gathering, the King stated that his mother’s “deep love for Scotland was one of the foundations of her life.”
The King remarked, “There could be no more fitting way to mark my beloved mother’s extraordinary life of service than by granting this honor 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.”
He continued, “It is the birthplace of philanthropists. It is the burial place of Kings and Queens. It has been the scene of events, both secular and sacred, which have shaped our times.”
Queen Elizabeth II died at the age of 96 at her estate in the Scottish Highlands, bringing a close to her 70 years as sovereign, the longest royal tenure in British history. Upon her death, her oldest son Charles, 73, became King of the United Kingdom and its Commonwealth realms, as reported by The Dallas Express.
The King concluded his speech by congratulating the residents of Dunfermline on the town’s “well-deserved status as Scotland’s new City.”
Before the public address, the King and Queen Consort met with Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and shook hands with well-wishers, hundreds of whom turned out to catch a glimpse of the royal couple.
A reception for roughly 300 guests in Edinburgh is set to be hosted by the royal couple later in the day to celebrate the British South Asian community.
King Charles III and his wife will host British Indians, Pakistanis, and others to pay tribute to their communities’ contributions to the United Kingdom, reported AP News.