Charles and Camilla are in Scotland for a day of royal duties as historic Dunfermline receives city status

With Charles sporting a kilt and Camilla wearing a coordinating green coat, the royal couple took part in their first joint public duties since Sept. 19 when they headed to a historic spot in Scotland on Monday.

King Charles and Queen Camilla were welcomed by schoolchildren and a local pipe band as they arrived at Dunfermaline to celebrate its new position as Scotland’s latest city. The town was given city status, one of a number around the U.K. as part of the commemorations for the late Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

It’s also the burial place of former Scottish kings and queens, including Robert the Bruce.

The couple began their visit in the chamber room at the City Chambers, where formally city status was formally conferred and he made a short address.

Calling it a “historic moment,” Charles, 73, said making Dunfermaline a city was a “fitting way to mark my beloved mother’s extraordinary life of service than by granting this honor to a place made famous by its own long and distinguished history, and by the indispensable role it has played in the life of our country.”

The King reminded those present that his mother’s “deep love for Scotland was one of the foundations of her life.”

He added, “From early times, Dunfermline has been of immense significance to Scotland’s — and to this whole island’s — story. It is the birthplace of philanthropists. It is the burial place of kings and queens. It has been the scene of events, both secular and sacred, which have shaped our times. Its stones tell the story of the people and the events which have made our country what it is today.”

“It is also, of course, a community,” King Charles continued. “And it is my hope that all those who live in, or who hail from, this very special place, will feel a real sense of pride at this latest chapter in our rich history, and that this new distinction will not merely burnish the legacy of the past but will also brighten the prospect of our future.”

He concluded, “That would, I know, gladden my dear mother’s heart, as it certainly gladdens mine. As you celebrate your well-deserved status as Scotland’s new city, I can only offer my warmest congratulations, and my heartfelt wishes for the years to come.”

The couple then took a short walk to the city’s Abbey, which is marking its 950th anniversary. There, experts from Historic Scotland told them about the ongoing conservation of the site. The Abbey is a symbol of an ancient seat of royal power as Margaret of Wessex, who married King Malcolm III in 1057, became the country’s first female saint and attracted pilgrims to the area. It is at the Abbey that kings and queens, including Robert the Bruce, are buried.