King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla attend church at Crathie Kirk after returning to Balmoral

The King and Queen Consort were seen on the street for the first time since Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral as they drove near the Balmoral Estate this afternoon.

King Charles, 73, returned to the Aberdeenshire estate for the first time five days ago, the first since his mother passed away peacefully at Balmoral Castle on 8 September at the age of 96.

As they drove into the estate with Queen Consort Camilla this morning, the king, who is still dressed in black as the royal family observes a period of mourning, looked grave.

The queen consort, 75, wore a mostly black outfit as the royal family observed a period of mourning, but she appeared to be wearing a tartan skirt

The royal couple attend a service at Crathie Kirk, a small parish church in the Scottish village of Crathie, near the estate.

It’s where the Royal Family always go to church when they stay in Balmoral, suggesting that the King and Queen Consort are currently in residence there.

King Charles’ first public appearance since the state funeral of his late mother Queen Elizabeth II on Monday follows an official portrait of the monarch at work, released by the royal family on Friday evening.

The portrait, taken last week, shows the king sitting in the 18th-century room at Buckingham Palace as he examines documents from the red box.

In the photo there were some subtle nods to his late mother and father, the late Duke of Edinburgh, showing how the monarch will remember their influence in carrying out his royal duties.

The king was depicted wearing a black three piece suit and black and white checkered pocket square, with a black tie, as he left the church

Queen Consort Camilla looked ready as she left service at Crathie Kirk, where the Royal Family worship when in residence at Balmoral

The king and queen consort managed to smile politely as they left the church as their mourning period for Queen Elizabeth II continues

The King and Queen Consort appeared serious as they headed for Sunday service at Aberdeenshire church, on their first visit to the Balmoral Estate since the Queen’s death

The king appeared in public for the first time since his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, was buried in the King George VI Memorial Chapel in Windsor

The king has been hard at work since his mother’s death but has remained relatively quiet for the past week as the royal family mourns privately

The King’s Range Rover drove into Crathie Kirk church where they attend Sunday service when they lived on the Balmoral Estate

Most notable was the black-and-white photograph of the Queen and Prince Philip sitting on the side table behind the King’s desk, reviewing documents from his red box.

According to the royal family’s Instagram account, which published the photo of the king hard at work, the photo of the monarch’s deceased parents was a gift from them to King George VI in 1951 at Christmas.

The photo of the Queen and Prince Philip is not the first tribute of its kind to the 73rd King, after he first addressed the nation on Friday 9 September from Buckingham Palace’s Blue Drawing Room, where some of Her Majesty’s were there. Christmas speeches filmed, with a photo of Her Majesty on the desk next to him.

During the speech, he also told the nation how he will draw on his mother’s example during his own reign.

The king said: ‘All her life Her Majesty the Queen — my beloved mother — was an inspiration and example to me and all my family, and we owe her the most sincere debt a family can owe to their mother; for her love, affection, guidance, understanding and example.

‘Queen Elizabeth had a life well lived; kept a promise with fate and she is most mourned in her passing. That pledge of lifelong service I renew to all of you today.”

King Charles III was hard at work examining official documents from his red box during his early days as monarch after his mother’s death (Pictured in the eighteenth-century room at Buckingham Palace)

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II (pictured with the red box at Sandringham in February 2022) began looking at documents from the red box every day except Christmas Day

Royal fans may also have noticed a tribute to King Charles’ mother in the bouquet of flowers behind the red box in the new photo.

The display of blue and lilac petals seems to include sprigs of delphinium, a flower that has several meanings. Primarily, delphinium is recognized as a sign of encouragement, joy and hope.

However, it also contains more poignant symbolism for those who are grieving – in that it is often used to commemorate the lives of loved ones who have recently passed away.

Many royal fans may argue that the photo itself pays tribute to the late mother of the king, who was often depicted looking through documents from the red box.

The Royal Family’s official Instagram account wrote: ‘The Red Box contains papers from government ministers in the UK and the wealthy and from representatives of the Commonwealth and beyond.

“The documents are sent from the cabinet of the chief of staff to the king, wherever he resides, in a sealed red shipping box.

“Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth received red boxes, which were made at her coronation in 1952, almost every day of her reign, including weekends and holidays, but excluding Christmas Day.”

In nearly every photo of Her Late Majesty viewing the documents, she is candidly depicted reading the briefing carefully.

However, 2022, which marked Queen Elizabeth’s platinum jubilee year, saw a change in the late monarch’s red box photo. Taken on the Sandringham Estate in February, the Queen is pictured smiling into the camera next to the Red Box, wearing a light green outfit.