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The Duke and Duchess of Sussex touched down at Birmingham Airport at around midday on Wednesday

King Charles was seen at the wheel of a Range Rover as he drove through Braemar in Aberdeenshire on Thursday, marking his first public sighting since Prince Harry and Meghan Markle touched down in Britain earlier this week.

The 77-year-old monarch, who continues to receive cancer treatment, appeared in good spirits, dressed in a checked shirt and beige overcoat, with his flat cap resting on the dashboard. A security guard occupied the passenger seat. His destination was not disclosed.

Charles has been staying at the 50,000-acre Highland estate since Tuesday, August 18, as part of the traditional royal summer break.

He was also seen last Sunday attending a service at Crathie Kirk alongside Queen Camilla, the Waleses, Princess Anne, and the Edinburghs.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex touched down at Birmingham Airport at around midday on Wednesday, accompanied by their children Archie, seven, and Lilibet, five.

The family flew from Van Nuys Airport in Los Angeles aboard a private Bombardier Global Express XRS, a luxury long-range business jet.

No taxpayer-funded close protection officers or police convoy greeted them upon landing, a marked contrast to the security arrangements they enjoyed as working royals. Instead, the couple were supported entirely by their own private security team.

Their arrival came six years after the couple departed Britain following their decision to step back from royal duties in 2020, subsequently purchasing a home in Montecito, California. The move back had been publicly announced a week before their landing.

The family are establishing themselves in a non-royal residence in the Cotswolds, with both children enrolled at local schools and due to begin next week.

Their status as non-working members of the Royal Family remains unchanged.

Harry and Meghan intend to live as an "international" family, retaining their properties in California and Portugal.

Their Portuguese holiday home sits near Melides, close to a property owned by Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank.

Meghan is reportedly planning a return to acting, having last appeared on the legal drama Suits in 2018.

Harry, meanwhile, is expected to concentrate on charitable endeavours and UK patronages he maintained during his time in the United States, including WellChild and the Invictus Games.

The family also plan regular trips back to America to visit Meghan's mother, Doria Ragland.

The broader Royal Family had gathered at Balmoral during the period surrounding the Sussexes' return.

William and Catherine departed the Scottish estate on Thursday with their children ahead of the new academic term, with Prince George set to start at Eton College while Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis continue at Lambrook.

A month before their permanent return, Harry and Meghan had taken Archie and Lilibet to see the King at Highgrove, their first meeting with their grandfather in four years.

People has suggested Charles wishes to see his two sons "together over time".