Britain's King Charles III has welcomed refugees from Ukraine, Syria and Afghanistan and learnt about efforts to resettle displaced families in Scotland.
The monarch visited Aberdeen on Monday to hear first hand how the local council had been supporting people fleeing conflict in their homelands.
Aberdeen City Council has worked with the UK and Scottish governments to provide accommodation and critical services such as health and education for more than 1,000 people.
In a reception at the city’s Town House, the king met Inna Skvortsova, a Ukrainian woman who arrived in April.
She now has a full-time role at the council assisting with the resettlement programme.
Ms Skvortsova said it was “such an honour” to be invited to meet the king.
“Six months ago I didn’t expect that I would be here, or with the king, His Majesty, and now I am proud to represent my country," she said.
“I’m so grateful that the United Kingdom helped me and helped my compatriots.”
King Charles thanks Aberdeenshire public — in pictures
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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
The monarch also met Burhan Vesal, who worked as an interpreter with the British Army in the south of Afghanistan.
He also met Mr Vesal’s wife, Narcis, who plans to use her medical experience in obstetrics and gynaecology to work as a doctor in the UK, and their son Sapehr, 7, who is enjoying school in the city.
“It means a lot as a new immigrant. He spoke to us with openness and with laughter and joy," Mr Vesal said after meeting the king.
“We ran away from conflict, we ran away from violence, in a hard situation, and now besides having the support from the community here, we have the support from the king and the government.”
He added that the monarch was “touched” when Mr Vesal recounted his family’s life story.
King Charles coronation date announced — in pictures
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King Charles III's coronation will be held on Saturday, May 6 next year, Buckingham Palace has announced, eight months after the monarch’s accession and the death of Queen Elizabeth. Getty Images -
King Charles III salutes as he leaves Westminster Abbey following the state funeral service of Queen Elizabeth II. AP -
King Charles follows behind the coffin of Queen Elizabeth as it is carried out of Westminster Abbey. Reuters -
King Charles attends the state funeral of his mother. Reuters -
King Charles meets faith leaders during a reception at Buckingham Palace. Getty Images -
King Charles in silhouette at Buckingham Palace as he meets faith leaders. AFP -
King Charles attends a vigil alongside Queen Elizabeth's coffin inside Westminster Hall. Getty Images -
King Charles leaves following the Vigil of the Princes, during which he and his siblings stood watch over their mother Queen Elizabeth's coffin at Westminster Hall. Getty Images -
King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla enter Westminster Hall as the coffin completes its journey from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall. Getty Images -
King Charles follows the coffin of Queen Elizabeth as it is carried on a horse-drawn gun carriage of the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery, during the ceremonial procession from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall. Reuters -
King Charles meets members of the public as he leaves the Senedd in Cardiff, Wales, after a visit to receive a Motion of Condolence following the death of Queen Elizabeth. PA -
King Charles meets troops during a reception at Hillsborough Castle, County Down, Northern Ireland. PA -
King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla at Westminster Hall, London, where both Houses of Parliament met to express their condolences following the death of Queen Elizabeth. PA -
King Charles greets mourners as he walks by the gates of Buckingham Palace following the death of Queen Elizabeth. AP -
King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla view floral tributes left outside Buckingham Palace. AP
The king also shared advice on being a good grandparent as an Afghan refugee, who asked to be known only as Yar to protect his identity, told King Charles his family had expanded to 12 with a recent new addition.
Yar, who is still awaiting a permanent home in Aberdeen, had been employed as an interpreter with the armed forces and worked in Camp Bastion as an IT support worker before fleeing to Pakistan where he was evacuated to the UK.
“This was my first time to meet the king and this is my whole life. He is a very kind person," he said.
“I had a good chat with him, telling my family story to him and he was really, really good and said that ‘now you’re going to have a safe life here’.”
He said King Charles was “excited” to hear that he had just become a grandfather for the first time and wished him luck in dealing with a growing his growing family.
King Charles III visits Scotland — in pictures
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Britain's King Charles III greets members of the public in Dunfermline, south-east Scotland. His visit is to formally mark the conferral of city status on the former town. AFP -
King Charles and Camilla, Queen Consort attend an official council meeting at the City Chambers in Dunfermline. Getty -
King Charles and the Queen Consort leave Dunfermline Abbey, after a visit to mark its 950th anniversary. AP -
King Charles greets members of the public. PA -
King Charles shakes hands with First Minister Nicola Sturgeon as he arrives at the City Chambers in Dunfermline. PA -
King Charles and Camilla are shown the gravestone of Robert the Bruce during a visit to Dunfermline Abbey. AFP -
The letters patent confirming Dunfermline's city status. Getty
Before his departure, a choir of schoolchildren, university students and some of the refugee families sang a song, The Northern Lights of Old Aberdeen, to the monarch.
During an official visit to Jordan in November 2021, the king visited Al Nuzha Community Centre which is supported by UN High Commission for Refugees and met refugee families receiving UK assistance.
Aberdeen has resettled about 1,000 Ukrainian refugees, with capacity for more.
Approximately 170 Afghan refugees are currently staying in two hotels in the city and about 30 Syrian families have also been resettled in the city since 2014.
Later on Monday, the king held an audience with the president of Gabon at Buckingham Palace, after the formal celebrations of the country’s entry into the Commonwealth.
King Charles welcomed President Ali Bongo Ondimba to the 1844 Room, greeting him warmly with a smile and a handshake.
Earlier in the day, the flag of Gabon was raised at the Commonwealth headquarters, Marlborough House, for the first time.
The special ceremony marked the West African country’s addition as a Commonwealth nation.
Gabon became the 55th member of the Commonwealth in June following approval at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Kigali, Rwanda.
At Marlborough House, the president — a one-time funk singer who stepped into his father’s shoes to continue his family’s now 55-year rule — described it as an important day for his country.
“In a world full of uncertainties, mostly created by humanity’s excesses and greed, we believe strongly that the Commonwealth family of nations is a unique and varied community of countries that share common values and whose diversity represents a formidable melting pot of ideas and solutions,” the president said.
