The King and Queen were protected by ceremonial female bodyguards for the first time during their official visit to Scotland as the country enjoyed cooler weather while southern England sweltered in heat.
Charles and Camilla began their Holyrood Week stay in Edinburgh with separate engagements before hosting a garden party together at the Palace of Holyroodhouse. Earlier, when the Queen opened Ratho library, she told her hosts the weather was "cooler" than conditions in England and described Scotland's climate as a welcome "drop in temperature".
Historic female bodyguards on duty
Annabel Biddulp made history as one of four female members of the Royal Company of Archers serving as the Sovereign's Body Guard in Scotland during the garden party. She described herself as the sixth generation of her family to be an Archer, with her father and uncle also on duty alongside her.
"It's absolutely wonderful, so many of my family have been part of the Archers for generations," Ms Biddulp said. She planned to celebrate the historic moment with a "jolly good party tonight" after the King complimented her trusty bow, asking if she was "a dab hand at that".
Garden party brings together diverse guests
The social event welcomed Scots from various backgrounds including NHS workers, military personnel and charity volunteers to the royal residence's gardens. The gathering took place under the watchful eye of Holyrood Park, where Republic protesters had spelled out "Not My King" using large white cards visible to guests.
Charles spent time chatting with Second World War veteran George McLeod, aged 99, who served as a private with the 4th Battalion, King's Own Scottish Borderers. The King discussed VE Day events in London and emphasised the importance of keeping wartime memories alive.
Veteran's wartime memories shared
Mr McLeod's daughter Jan revealed her father was stationed in the German city of Bremen when the war ended in 1945. "He was in communications and the first to hear the war was over," she explained. "He's a bit of a joker, and no one believed him at first."
The King expressed sadness about losing veterans and stressed how vital it was to preserve their stories for future generations.
(PA) Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
