King Charles arrives for Ceremony of the Keys at Palace of Holyroodhouse - as monarch takes trip to Edinburgh to mark Scottish city's 900th anniversary

King Charles has arrived for the Ceremony of the Keys at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh this morning after travelling up to mark the city's 900th anniversary.

Charles and Camilla have travelled to the Scottish capital for two days of royal engagements, from the King presenting awards at an investiture ceremony to the Queen hosting a reception for bookshop owners, writers and literary organisations.

Each year, the monarch traditionally spends a week based at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, known as Holyrood Week or Royal Week in Scotland.

Holyrood Week is shorter than in previous years as the General Election has meant the royal family has postponed any engagements 'which may appear to divert attention or distract from the election campaign'.

The King will begin his official engagements in Scotland by inspecting a guard of honour in the Palace of Holyroodhouse gardens, and then attending the Ceremony of the Keys, where he will be presented with the keys to the city.

The ceremony sees the monarch handed the keys of the city and welcomed to her 'ancient and hereditary kingdom of Scotland'. A Guard of Honour was provided by the Balaklava Company, The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. 

Later Charles will preside over the investiture ceremony where recipients include bestselling author Sir Alexander McCall Smith, creator of The No 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series and the 44 Scotland Street novels, who will receive a knighthood for services to literature, academia and charity.

Camilla will also hold a reception to celebrate those promoting Scottish literacy, before the King and his wife host guests at a garden party, alongside the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh.

On Wednesday the King and Queen will be joined by the Prince of Wales, whose Scottish title is the Duke of Rothesay, at the Thistle Service at St Giles' Cathedral, where Camilla and Edward will be appointed to the Order of the Thistle.

Charles and Camilla will round off the trip by joining a celebration with various performers, guests and organisations at Edinburgh Castle to mark the city's 900th anniversary.

Meanwhile, McCall Smith has written and contributed to more than 100 books including short story collections, children's books and specialist academic titles.

The detective agency series, set in Botswana, has now sold more than 20 million copies in the English language alone.

The author, an emeritus professor of medical law at the University of Edinburgh, is also known for series including the 44 Scotland Street novels, the Isabel Dalhousie collection, and the von Igelfeld books.

Now 75, he was born in what was then known as Southern Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe, and made Edinburgh his home after studying there.

He conceived the idea of the Great Tapestry of Scotland, now housed in Galashiels. He is also a patron of several charities including The Eric Liddell Community, a care charity and community hub in Edinburgh.

Others to be honoured on Tuesday, after being named in the King's New Year Honours, include Paul Mealor, professor of composition at the University of Aberdeen.

He will become a Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order (LVO) - a gift given by the King to people who have served him or the monarchy in a personal way.

Prof Mealor composed Coronation Kyrie for the King's coronation last year and has composed music for other royal occasions over the past decade, including the wedding of the Prince and Princess of Wales in 2011, and Charles's 65th, 70th and 75th birthdays.

Professor Sir Jim McDonald, principal of the University of Strathclyde, will be appointed to the most senior rank of the Order of the British Empire.

He was appointed Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire in the New Year Honours list, for services to engineering, education and energy.

Sir Jim became principal and vice-chancellor of the university in March 2009 following a long association with Strathclyde, studying his bachelor of science, masters and PhD degrees in the areas of electronic and electrical engineering, power systems and energy economics.

Liz Smith, a former Scotland cricketer who is now a Conservative MSP, will become a CBE for services to sport.

The Mid Scotland and Fife MSP won seven caps with the Scottish Ladies' Cricket XI and is also a former president of the Scottish Women's Cricket Association.

She no longer plays professionally but is still involved in the sport through coaching.

Members of the emergency services will also be honoured on Tuesday.

They include Police Scotland Chief Superintendent Faroque Hussain, who will receive the King's Police Medal.

Mr Hussain, from Largs, is the first ethnic minority police officer to progress through the ranks from constable to the post of chief superintendent.

The tactical firearms commander won praise for his adept handling of the response to Operation Unicorn - where he was responsible for all firearms officers involved in the large-scale policing operation put in place following the death of the Queen in September 2022.

Retired chief superintendent Carol McGuire, from Symington, and Police Constable Stephanie Rose, from Denny, will receive the King's Police Medal.

Ms McGuire joined Strathclyde Police in 1995 and retired in October last year.

During the course of her career she undertook a secondment to the football co-ordination unit Scotland, where she developed the country's first national strategy for the policing of football.

PC Rose developed the Keep Safe initiative in partnership with I Am Me Scotland, which was piloted in Renfrewshire in 2014 before becoming a national programme in 2015.

The initiative creates a network of local businesses to establish Keep Safe places for disabled, vulnerable and elderly people to go if they feel lost, confused, scared or intimidated, or have been the victim of a crime.

It comes after the Princess Royal has expressed her 'deep regret' at missing a poignant First World War commemorations in Canada due to her horse-related accident.

Anne, 73, is convalescing at her Gatcombe Park home after spending five nights in hospital after she was believed to have been struck by the animal while out walking on June 23.

The princess said she was 'deeply saddened that I'm unable to join you' in remarks read out on her behalf by Canada's governor general Mary Simon in St John's, Newfoundland.

The ceremony on July 1 - Canada Day - saw the repatriation of the remains of an unknown Newfoundland First World War soldier from the battlefields of northern France.

The King's sister praised the 'brave efforts and sacrifices' of the soldiers who fought on the first day of the Battle of the Somme in 1916, one of the war's largest and bloodiest offensives.

Anne was due to travel to Canada for an overseas tour on Sunday, but is now away from public engagements until her medical team recommends it is safe and comfortable for her to resume official duties.