Charles and Camilla mark anniversary of Queen's death

The King and Queen have gathered in memory of the late Queen Elizabeth II at a poignant church service near Balmoral, two years after her death. King Charles and Queen Camilla headed to the tiny granite Crathie Kirk, where the late Queen was a regular and devout worshipper, on Royal Deeside for prayers and reflection on Sunday morning. Guest preacher at the divine service the Rt Rev Dr Shaw Paterson described the anniversary as "particularly significant and poignant for the royal family" and said he remembered them in his prayers during his sermon. Charles, 75, has faced a personally challenging year, marked by the difficult double health blow of his cancer diagnosis and that of his daughter-in-law the Princess of Wales. Onlookers said the King waved and was "very gracious" to the small crowd of well-wishers who waited to see him enter the church on the second anniversary of his historic accession to the throne. Dr Paterson, moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, said after the hour-long service it was a privilege to preach to the King, the Queen and rest of the congregation which included Scotland's First Minister John Swinney. He described how the King was "very well known and liked" in the local community around Balmoral and was "very much part of it", just like the late Queen. Queen Elizabeth II was said to never be happier than when she was staying at her beloved Balmoral Castle. The private Scottish home in Aberdeenshire - which now belongs to the King - has been handed down to her through generations of royals after being bought for Queen Victoria by Prince Albert in 1852. The service was led by Rev Kenneth MacKenzie, minister of the Parish of Braemar and Crathie and domestic chaplain to the King. MacKenzie ministered to the late Queen in her final days and supported the royal family following her death. A member of the Chapel Royal, he has provided pastoral and spiritual support to the royals since 2005. The King could be seen, with his window slightly open, in the back seat of the maroon state Bentley with Camilla at his side as they arrived at the church at 11.25am. Camilla, dressed in a green jacket with red and green tartan lapels and a green hat decorated with a feather, smiled at awaiting photographers and camera crews as she held her handbag on her lap. The King has been staying at Balmoral, where the late Queen died peacefully at the age of 96 on September 8, 2022. Tributes were paid to the late Queen, with the monarchy's official social media account posting a photograph on X of her beaming at a summer Buckingham Palace garden party in 2019. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer meanwhile 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."