King attends church on second anniversary of late Queen's death and his accession

The King has attended church near Balmoral for a service in memory of his mother Queen Elizabeth II on the second anniversary of her death.

The monarch, accompanied by Queen Camilla, arrived at the tiny granite Crathie Kirk, where the late monarch was a regular worshipper, two years on from his accession to the throne.

The royal couple were joined by Scottish First Minister John Swinney.

The King, 75, has been staying at his Aberdeenshire estate in the Highlands, where the late Queen died peacefully, at the age of 96, on 8 September 2022.

He faced a personally challenging second year as sovereign following the double health blow of his cancer diagnosis and that of his daughter-in-law, the Princess of Wales.

Among the well-wishers who gathered to see the monarch was Diane Brandish, a tourist visiting Scotland from Christchurch in New Zealand.

She said catching sight of the King was an unexpected "bonus" on her holiday, and remarked that "he was very gracious".

She said: "We happened to be coming by and I didn't realise that King Charles would be here.

"Most people in New Zealand follow the royal family quite closely and are aware of the anniversary."

Meanwhile, the Royal Family's official social media account posted a photograph on X of the late Queen smiling happily at a summer Buckingham Palace garden party in 2019.

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The image of the monarch, in a pale pink hat and matching outfit, appeared alongside the words: "Remembering Queen Elizabeth II, 1926-2022."

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer hailed the "70 glorious years of her reign".

"Today marks two years since the passing of Queen Elizabeth II," Sir Keir said in a message posted on social media.

"The late Queen's dedication to the UK and Commonwealth taught us that whatever challenges our country faces, the value of service always endures.

"For the 70 glorious years of her reign, she was at the heart of this nation's life. Today we honour her memory."

Accession Day is a poignant time for the King, being the anniversary of both the historic start of his reign as Charles III and the loss of his mother.