King Charles thanks Aberdeenshire people who helped organise queen's journey south

The British monarch and the queen consort attended a reception to express their gratitude to the community

Britain's King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla arrive at a reception to thank the community of Aberdeenshire for their organisation and support following the death of Queen Elizabeth II. AFP

King Charles and the Queen Consort meet members of the public as they attend the reception at Station Square, the Victoria & Albert Halls. PA

Members of the public await the arrival of King Charles. PA

King Charles pats a horse at Station Square. PA

King Charles speaks to the Rev Addie, a Ballater resident who was an usher at Queen Elizabeth's wedding in 1947. PA

King Charles and the Queen Consort view a piece of stained glass at the Victoria & Albert Halls in Ballater. PA

King Charles and Camilla meet farmers with their tractors. PA

King Charles and Camilla wave goodbye as they leave the reception. PA

King Charles III has personally thanked people who helped to organise Queen Elizabeth II’s journey from Balmoral after her death.

The king and Queen Consort Camilla visited the Victoria and Albert Halls in Ballater, near the Scottish home of the royal family, where they attended a reception on Tuesday to thank the community.

They met some of the 550 people who supported the operation and helped to organise events.

Guests included council workers, civic leaders and pupils from Ballater's Crathie School.

Officers from Police Scotland, as well as the fire and ambulance services, were also in attendance.

The king and queen consort are also expected to see the tractors that formed a tribute to the late queen at Banchory, and meet the horses and riders that lined the route of the cortege as it travelled south from Balmoral, through Aberdeenshire, to Edinburgh on its six-hour journey.

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People came out in cities and in rural areas, where farmers parked their tractors side by side and horse riders gathered to pay their respects.

About 25,000 people lined the streets across the county as the queen's cortege made its way to the Scottish capital last month, where she was laid to rest at St Giles' Cathedral.

The queen’s children, led by the current monarch, walked in procession behind the queen’s coffin as it made its way to the cathedral.

The queen died on September 8 at her Balmoral estate, with Princess Anne, her only daughter, by her side.

Members of her family — Prince William, Prince Andrew, Prince Edward and his wife Sophie, the Countess of Wessex — were en route to see her at the time.

Procession of Queen Elizabeth II's coffin through Edinburgh — in pictures

The queen had a deep connection to Scotland, which she visited each summer, and she referred to the 30,000-hectare Balmoral estate as her “second home”.

She carried out her first royal duties in Scotland in Aberdeen in 1944 when she was only a teenager and yet to ascend to the throne.

She completed her final duties two days before her death, inviting new Prime Minister Liz Truss to form a government.

She died of old age, according to her death certificate.