King Charles III was kissed by a bold mourner as he greeted well-wishers at Buckingham Palace.
The new king arrived in London this afternoon after flying back from Balmoral where his mother, Queen Elizabeth, died peacefully yesterday afternoon.
King Charles and Camilla, Queen Consort, boarded the plane at Aberdeen at around 12.30pm and landed back in the capital where thousands of royal fans have lined the streets.
One fan however raised eyebrows after leaning in to plant a kiss on the King's cheek - a move which has been criticised as bold and over-stepping the mark.
Follow the latest updates on today's events in our live blog
Another fan appeared to kiss Charles' hand while he greeted mourners and inspected the thousands of flowers left outside the palace.
One Twitter user described the kiss as "inappropriate", while another said it was "quite ghoulish when the poor chap has just lost his mum".
Some meanwhile praised the displays of affection from the public, with another Twitter user describing it as "really quite moving to watch".
One security guard flanking the King meanwhile was heard telling those greeting him to put their "phones down" and to "enjoy the moment".
Joanna Rae, a French tutor from Edinburgh, was one of those who travelled down this morning to pay her respects to the Queen and never knew she would have the chance to see the new King and his Queen consort.
At the front of the crowd she reached out her hand and then without planning leant in to kiss Camilla.
“She looked hesitant to begin with and looked overwhelmed but as I offered my condolences she looked comforted and allowed me to kiss her. It feels an honour," said Joanna, 34.
"I have always been a fan of the royal family, my parents and the generations further back.
“I came for the queen and I didn’t expect to see Charles and Camilla but I feel closer to them now they have embraced us here.“ She admitted feeling emotional on the train.
“It’s impacted us all it’s such a poignant moment, the surety of the future of the UK is in the hands of Prince Charles," she added.
The peck on the cheek was by no means the first time Charles has been kissed by a well-wisher.
Memorably, as a young prince he was kissed by sixteen year-old Gilda Larbey during a walkabout in Perth, Australia, in November 1977.
Another plucky fan was pictured approached the then-Prince of Wales while swimming on a beach in the country during a visit two years later.
Bikini clad model Jane Priest went in for a hug and a kiss while the royal was jogging in his trunks on Cottesloe Beach, Perth, in 1979.
Now, as king, he can expect a more formal greeting when he meets with the Prime Minister, Liz Truss, this afternoon before making his first speech as King at 6pm.
In his first tribute to his mother yesterday, the King said: "The death of my beloved mother, Her Majesty the Queen, is a moment of the greatest sadness for me and all members of my family.
"We mourn profoundly the passing of a cherished sovereign and a much-loved mother.
"I know her loss will be deeply felt throughout the country, the realms and the Commonwealth and by countless people around the world.
"During this period of mourning and change, my family and I will be comforted and sustained by our knowledge of the respect and deep affection in which the Queen was so widely held."
The thousands of bouquets left by well-wishers are to be moved later for display within the palace grounds.
Meanwhile, an online book of condolences has been set up on the Royal Family's official website for people to share their tributes.
Earlier, Buckingham Palace confirmed a period of royal mourning will be observed from now until seven days after the Queen’s funeral, the date of which will be confirmed in due course.
There will then be a further 10 days of mourning afterwards, bringing the total to 17 days.
* This weekend, the Daily Mirror and Sunday Mirror celebrate the life of Her Majesty the Queen with a commemorative special filled with all the key moments from Britain’s longest reigning monarch. Be sure to pick up your copy of the Daily Mirror and Sunday Mirror to get both pullouts.
