King Charles and Queen Camilla open a new Coronation Garden in Northern Ireland

King Charles and Queen Camilla enjoyed a royally warm welcome as they arrived in Northern Ireland this morning.

The couple arrived ahead of their two-day visit this morning, and were greeted by hundreds of well-wishers in Newtownabbey, where they opened a new Coronation Garden, erected to mark King Charles’ ascension to the throne earlier this month.

Charles looked dapper in a blue suit and appeared in great spirits as he was met with royal fans of all ages in the beautiful garden, which was in full bloom. Meanwhile, the Queen, dressed in a mint green dress, appeared in her element as she received a jolly welcome from a group of pupils in uniforms at the entrance of the green space. 

Although, in one particular image, a very young royal fan didn’t seem so keen on being introduced. The baby, wearing a headband featuring two Union Jack flags, appeared to be crying as Camilla greeted crowds.

It is the first time that King Charles and the Queen are visiting Northern Ireland since his Coronation on May 6, and the couple have a busy schedule ahead of them. 

King Charles and Queen Camilla enjoyed a royally warm welcome as they arrived in Northern Ireland this morning

The couple were all smiles as they were greeted by a group of well-wishers in the town, in County Antrim, just north of Belfast this morning. 

Queen Camilla seemed delighted to be welcomed into the town by a group of schoolchildren, and waved at them gently.

She was wearing an elegant green day dress, which she paired with a pashmina for the occasion, and later wrapped up with a trench coat over her shoulders. 

Meanwhile, an enthusiastic King Charles was spotted having a laugh with a member of the public attending the event and also chatted to the same children, who were orderly stood in three rows. 

After chatting with locals, the royals stood in front of the gardens’ imposing white and blue gate, which had been propped with a large blue bow to mark the occasion of its opening. 

Once inside, the Queen was startled by spinning trees inside the garden as the couple took a closer look at the different species of plants on display. 

The garden was just a disused bowling green until the local authority seized on the idea of turning it into a community garden in honour of the new King and Queen as part of its project to green-up the area.

The Queen, dressed in a flattering mint green day dress, appeared in her element as she received a jolly welcome from a group of pupils in uniforms at the entrance of the newly designed green space

King Charles arrives to open the new Coronation Garden in Newtonabbey on day one of a visit to Northern Ireland with Queen Camilla 

The couple appeared in great spirits as they arrived at the garden ahead of a two-day visit to Northern Ireland 

King Charles and the Queen waved to the children who had bene waiting to welcome them to their towns 

An enthusiastic King Charles was spotted having a laugh with a member of the public attending the event and also chatted to the same children, who were orderly stood in three rows

The gate had been propped with a ribbon to mark its royal opening this morning. The Queen’s dress also matched the colours of the garden’s fencing 

The Sovereign stood in front of the garden with two officials to declare the new garden open. Both their names have been written on the gate’s doors 

King Charles and his wife looked both delighted to have arrived in Northern Ireland ahead of their visit today 

The couple, accompanied by an official, took a look at the garden’s imposing white and blue gate 

Designed by Diarmuid Gavin, the garden – which has a huge ironwork structure topped with a crown and a glitter ball – was created to appeal to the King’s ‘whimsical’ sense of humour.

The beds, packed with bee and butterfly friendly flowers, even containing ‘dancing’ topiaries and spinning conical trees that move every 15 minutes to the tune of either Pure Imagination from the Charlie and The Chocolate Factory film or Morcambe and Wise’s Give Me Sunshine.

Their Majesties formally opened the garden by unveiling a large set of gates with their names on them – King Charles III and Queen Camilla.

They will also spend time meeting the designers of the garden and representatives of other community and charitable organisations.

They will be told how the garden marks the beginning of a new green initiative for the Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council.

During the stop-off, the King and Queen (pictured) met with the designers of the garden as well as representatives of community and charitable organisations

Their Majesties formally opened the garden by unveiling a large set of gates with their names on them – King Charles III and Queen Camilla

It is the first time Charles and Camilla (pictured) have visited the region following their coronation earlier this month