King Charles III travels from Edinburgh to Northern Ireland

King Charles III has left Scotland to travel to Northern Ireland as he continues his tour of the United Kingdom following the Queen’s death.

The King and the Queen Consort have left Edinburgh Airport for Belfast ahead of an audience with politicians at Hillsborough Castle as part of his first visit to Northern Ireland as monarch.

It will mark the first time that a British King has visited Northern Ireland in almost 80 years.

He will arrive in Belfast before heading to Hillsborough Castle, the official residence of the Royal Family while in Northern Ireland.

On Monday, the King took part in a vigil along with his siblings at St Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh where the Queen’s coffin lies in rest.

Huge queues are expected outside St Giles’ on as mourners wait to view the Queen’s coffin before it departs Scotland for the final time late on Tuesday.

A number of main roads in Edinburgh will be closed between 4pm and 6.30pm – Johnstone Terrace, Lothian Road, Queensferry Street, Dean Bridge and Queensferry Road – as the coffin is taken to the airport.

Accompanied by the Queen’s daughter Princess Anne and vice-admiral Sir Tim Laurence, the coffin will be carried onto a Royal Air Force plane as the Royal Regiment of Scotland hold a guard of honour.

Hundreds of people are gathering in the village of Royal Hillsborough in County Down ahead of the arrival of King Charles and the Queen Consort.

Spectators are being driven into the village on shuttle buses amid a massive security operation.