The Duke of Cambridge has been elected as an honorary royal fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE).

He follows in the footsteps of the Duke of Edinburgh, the Prince of Wales and the Princess Royal, who have all previously been made honorary royal fellows for the educational organisation of which the Queen is a patron.

The society said it looks forward to a "long and fruitful relationship" with its newest royal member, one of 60 new fellows announced on Wednesday.

Established names in the arts, business, science and technology and academia are among the new members.

They include crime writer Val McDermid, former Lord Advocate Dame Elish Angiolini, Scottish Parliament chief executive Sir Paul Grice and journalist Kirsty Wark.

The new members will join the more than 1,600 fellows from the UK and overseas.

RSE president Professor Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell said: "Each newly-elected fellow has been nominated on their exceptional and extensive achievements.

"It is a great honour to welcome such a range of outstanding individuals to the fellowship.

"They will strengthen the society's capacity to advance excellence across all areas of public life in Scotland and further afield."