Since the Queen's death at the age of 96 last Thursday, King Charles has been busy meeting mourners, world leaders and estranged family members as he publicly grieves the loss of his beloved mother.
King Charles was beside her late majesty's bedside when she died at Balmoral near Aberdeen on September 8.
Since that time the grieving son has barely had a moment's peace as he travels up and down the UK with Queen Consort Camilla.
After a whirlwind few days and with the Queen currently lying in state in Westminster Hall until her funeral on Monday, he had a moment to reflect today with a rare day off from public duties.
Seeing thousands offer their condolences on the Mall to the floral tributes left outside the Buckingham Palace gates and not forgetting the miles of queues through the night to see her coffin, will undoubtedly have provided the King with a degree of comfort.
In a historic week for the Royal Family, here is a rundown of the engagements King Charles has carried out over the last week as he racked up more than 1,500 miles.
Friday, September 9
The day after the Queen died, King Charles travelled from Balmoral to Buckingham Palace with Camilla where he met mourners gathered by the gates of Buckingham Palace.
After flying down from Scotland, they arrived in the State Rolls Royce shortly after 2.15pm, stopping at the gates and immediately headed towards the crowds outside their new royal residence.
King Charles III, dressed in a black suit and tie, remained composed despite his evident grief, shaking hundreds of hands the length of the palace forecourt.
His arrival was signalled by cheers and cries of "God Bless The King" as it approached.
He was even kissed on the hand and cheek by two well-wishers before pausing and taking a moment to look at the array of floral tributes left for his late mother.
That same night, the King made his first televised address to the nation and confirmed that William and Kate would take on the Prince and Princess of Wales titles.
He also wished Harry and Meghan well as they continue to build their lives overseas and promised to dedicate the rest of his life to serving the country, just like his mother did for 70 years.
"To my darling Mama, as you begin your last great journey to join my dear late Papa, I want simply to say this: thank you," he said.
"Thank you for your love and devotion to our family and to the family of nations you have served so diligently all these years.
"May 'flights of angels sing thee to thy rest'."
Saturday, September 10
While Charles was automatically made King after the Queen's death, he was officially proclaimed the new monarch on Saturday during an historic meeting of the Accession Council at St James's Palace.
More than 200 privy councillors, made up of mostly senior politicians past and present, including six former prime ministers, were present to hear the Clerk of the Council read the proclamation.
It was televised for the first time in history and, in his first statement, the King paid tribute to his mother's "dedication and devotion".
The Principal Proclamation was then read from the balcony overlooking Friary Court at St James's Palace by the Garter King of Arms, accompanied by the Earl Marshal, other Officers of Arms and the Serjeants at Arms.
It's a historic tradition that is rooted in a time prior to mass communication, so it was the only way the public would be told about the appointment of a new monarch - word of mouth.
After this grande occasion, King Charles returned to Buckingham Palace and met Liz Truss ' new Cabinet before surprising well-wishers along Stable Yard, off the Mall, with another walkabout for around 40 minutes while on the way to Clarence House.
Sunday, September 11
The Sunday proved another busy day for the new King as he welcomed the Secretary General of the Commonwealth, General Baroness Patricia Scotland, and Dean of Windsor into Buckingham Palace's 1844 Room.
This marked the day Charles was officially proclaimed King in Scotland.
Monday, September 12
King Charles addressed Parliament for the first time and admitted to “feeling the weight of history” as he spoke to the MPs and peers gathered in the 900-year-old Westminster Hall.
Speaking at a rare joint session of both Houses of Parliament, he pointed to memorials all around him of the late Queen - testament to her record-breaking 70 years on the throne.
The monarch spoke in the oldest part of the Palace of Westminster, where his namesake King Charles I was tried and convicted at the end of the Civil War.
The Queen’s father George VI was the first royal to address both Houses in Westminster Hall, nine days after the end of the Second World War.
King Charles and Camilla then travelled to Edinburgh, first stopping at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, in their first visit to the country since the death of Her Majesty.
There, the King inspected the Guard of Honour, followed by the Ceremony of the Keys.
The day before, the late monarch had been driven from Balmoral to Edinburgh, down The Royal Mile to be greeted by thousands of well-wishers, and then transferred to St Giles' Cathedral where she remained in rest until 3pm the next day.
The King, along with siblings Princess Anne, Prince Edward and Prince Andrew, joined a procession on Monday as the Queen's coffin was taken from the Palace to St Giles' Cathedral where she remained in rest until 3pm the next day.
King Charles also visited the Palace of Holyroodhouse to meet with Nicola Sturgeon, Scottish First Minister, in the evening.
Later that evening, a moving and sombre vigil was held at the Cathedral.
Tuesday, September 13
On Tuesday, King Charles and Camilla travelled to Belfast, Northern Ireland, to stop off at Hillsborough Castle, the monarch's official residence there.
It was here, you may remember, that a video of the King getting frustrated at a leaky fountain pen went viral.
It came after he became somewhat irritated by the ink pots and stationary on his desk as he tried to sign his official declaration on the Saturday.
Before attending a service at St Anne's Cathedral, the King met with Chris Heaton-Harris, Northern Ireland’s Secretary of State and other political party leaders.
Hours later, at around 6pm, the Queen's coffin left Scotland for the last time as it was flown to Buckingham Palace.
Wednesday, September 14
Yesterday proved a very moving and poignant day as members of the royal family joined for a procession to Westminster Hall.
The King was seen carrying a gift from the Queen during the procession of Her Majesty's coffin from Buckingham Palace to Westminster - and shed a tear after she made her final journey.
The new monarch was joined by his siblings, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward along with his two sons, Princes William and Harry, for the historic occasion.
The King wore full day ceremonial uniform with the rank of Field Marshal - and held a special gift from his beloved mother.
His Majesty carried his Field Marshal Baton presented to him by The Queen when he became Field Marshal in 2012.
He looked tear-eyed as he walked behind his mother's coffin - and a number of people could be seen wiping away tears as the it made its way down The Mall.
The King and Queen Consort stood together a metre or so apart, with the Princess Royal and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence behind them, then the Duke of York alone, and in the next row the Earl and Countess of Wessex.
Behind them were the Prince and Princess of Wales, with the Duke of Sussex behind William, and the Duchess of Sussex directly behind Kate.
The Cross of Westminster was placed at the head of the coffin.
King Charles was also wearing the Order of Merit, the decoration on his neck, with the Order of the Garter Sash and Star.
The Queen was then passed over to the public as thousands of mourners queued for hours to pay their respects to the late monarch who lies in state in Westminster Hall until her funeral on Monday.
Today, the King had a rare day off, providing a much-needed day of personal reflection, as he returned to his residence in Gloucestershire ahead of what's set to be a momentous, historic and deeply moving few days.
