King Charles III travels to Northern Ireland for first overseas engagement as monarch

King Charles III will travel to Northern Ireland today as part of a whirlwind trip ahead of Queen Elizabeth II's funeral, marking his first official engagement in the region since becoming monarch. 

• King Charles III will make his first engagement as monarch in Northern Ireland later today, as part of a UK tour in honor of his late mother's legacy. 
• The King will be joined by his wife, Camilla, Queen-Consort, to attend a memorial ceremony for Queen Elizabeth II in Belfast and to meet various political and state officials.  
• In other royal news, the significance of Queen Elizabeth II's floral wreath and its sweet link to Prince Philip.
  

King Charles III will fly to Northern Ireland on Tuesday, as part of his first UK tour as monarch following the death of Queen Elizabeth II last week. 

His Majesty's visit will also mark the first time a British King has stepped foot in the province in over 77 years, with King George VI being the last male sovereign to do so in 1945. 

Joined by Camilla, Queen-Consort, Charles will be greeted at Belfast City Airport by the Lord Lieutenant for the County Borough of Belfast and the Chief Executive of the airport. 

The royal couple will then drive to Hillsborough Castle, Queen Elizabeth II's official residence in Northern Ireland, where King Charles will hold a private audience with Northern Ireland's Secretary of State and meet politicians from various parties. A message of condolences will also be delivered on behalf of the people of Northern Ireland. 

King Charles and Camilla will then attend a reception at Hillsborough Castle, before heading to St. Anne's Cathedral for a service in memory of Queen Elizabeth II. The final engagement of their intensive schedule will see them complete a walkabout at Writer's Square, where thousands of well-wishers are expected to show up to offer their condolences. 

Later today, the Queen's coffin will make its final journey from Scotland to England. The late monarch's body was temporarily reposed at St. Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh yesterday, after being transported from the Palace of Holyroodhouse in a solemn procession down the city's famous Royal Mile. Accompanied by his three siblings, a military-clad King Charles carried a special gift from Queen Elizabeth II as he followed the hearse to the historic parish church. 

His mother's coffin will next be flown to London, with an estimated arrival time at Buckingham Palace of 8pm this evening. 

The Queen's funeral will take place on Monday, September 19. The state ceremony, to take place on a Bank Holiday, will be followed by seven days of mourning for the Royal Family.