King Charles has been seen for the first time since Prince Harry and Meghan Markle arrived in the UK. The monarch was pictured driving around the Balmoral estate in Scotland on Wednesday, just hours after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex touched down at Birmingham Airport.
Charles, who has been at Balmoral since early August enjoying the traditional summer break, was photographed behind the wheel of a large black car wearing a collared shirt and a jacket, with a security guard in the passenger seat. He is expected to return to royal duties in early September.
Royal sightings and statements
The King was also spotted in Balmoral on Friday in a convoy of vehicles that included the Prince and Princess of Wales, Princess Anne and Duchess Sophie, as they made their way to a church service.
The latest photos of Charles emerged after he issued a statement about the devastating floods in Nepal and Tibet. He said he and the Queen were “heartbroken” and sent their “most profound sympathy” to those affected, adding: “Many in the United Kingdom have strong, deep and personal ties to this part of the world.”
The Prince and Princess of Wales issued a separate statement, writing on their Instagram stories: “The scale of the devastation along the Nepal-China border is shocking. We are thinking of everyone caught up in this terrible disaster. Our thoughts are especially with the families facing an unbearable wait for news and with the communities confronting such immense loss. We are incredibly grateful to all those working in such dangerous conditions to rescue people and support those affected.” They signed the message ‘W&C’.
Harry and Meghan's arrival
The royals’ statements on the floods came after Harry and Meghan, along with their children Archie, seven, and Lilibet, five, arrived at Birmingham Airport at lunchtime on Wednesday, one week after their move back to the UK was announced.
They were not met by taxpayer-funded close police protection or a police convoy, which they previously had as working royals, and were supported by their own private security team. They are to settle in the UK for an “extended period”, with their children enrolled in British schools for September.
Harry and Meghan have not been seen since landing in Birmingham, but issued a joint statement following news that Meta will pay billions in a child-endangerment settlement. The company agreed to pay up to $18 billion (£13.3bn) to settle claims that its platforms pose a danger to children.
The Duke and Duchess, long outspoken on child safety online, shared a lengthy statement on their website expressing disappointment that Meta will avoid accountability by agreeing to a settlement sum.
