Belfast primary school children first to welcome new King to Northern Ireland

Two children from a Belfast primary school were among the first people to welcome King Charles to Northern Ireland on his first visit as monarch.

The King and his wife visited Northern Ireland as part of their UK-wide tour following the Queen's death last Thursday.

Ella Smith and Lucas Watt from the cross-community Forge Integrated Primary School in the south of the city greeted the King and Queen Consort after their private jet touched down at Belfast City Airport on Tuesday.

They described it as "one of the best days" of their lives.

Royal visits usually prompt gifts and, despite the solemnity of the occasion, 10-year-old schoolboy Lucas Watt presented the King with a chocolate tin featuring an image of the famous Giant's Causeway.

The King looked pleased and tapped the present from Art on a Tin, a business set up by couple Bill and Caroline Skillen to promote local artists, and filled with truffles made by the Chocolate Manor from the Northern Ireland seaside village of Castlerock.

Camilla received a posy of flowers, from 10-year-old schoolgirl Ella Smith, with the blooms taken from Hillsborough Castle.

The pair said they feel very lucky to be a part of the Royal visit.

"I think when we get older we'll probably appreciate it a lot more because we'll remember it, it's going to be pretty historic," Lucas told UTV.

Ella said: "It'll just be amazing to look back on and think 'I met the king.'

"I'll tell my friends I had a great time and it was just so cool to meet the King," she added.

The remarkable life of the Queen remembered in our latest episode of What You Need To Know