Charles was officially proclaimed King on Saturday morning, days after the Queen’s death at Balmoral Castle last week.
Charles III, the UK's new head of state, was sworn in at a proclamation ceremony in St James' Palace, promising to uphold the rights of the Church of Scotland.
Reading the agreement, the new King said: “I, Charles III by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of My other Realms and Territories King, Defender of the Faith, do faithfully promise and swear that I shall inviolably maintain and preserve the Settlement of the true Protestant Religion as established by the Laws made in Scotland in prosecution of the Claim of Right and particularly by an Act intituled ‘An Act for securing the Protestant Religion and Presbyterian Church Government' and by the Acts passed in the Parliament of both Kingdoms for Union of the two Kingdoms, together with the Government, Worship, Discipline, Rights and Privileges of the Church of Scotland. So help me God."
The oath, which is undertaken by all new monarchs, is significant and can trace its roots back hundreds of years.
Why did King Charles III vow to protect the Scottish Church?
The affirmation dates back to the 1600's Bishops' War and Act of Union of 1707, and has been repeated by incoming monarchs to the Privy Council since, allowing new heads of state to assure the independence of the Church of Scotland.
The Act of Union made provisions for the separation of the Presbyterian Church from the Church of England, an important part of the Church’s identity.
Is King Charles III King of Scotland?
Scotland and England have shared the same monarch since 1603 when James VI of Scotland (I of England) inherited the English throne after the death of Elizabeth I.
Charles is also King of the whole of the United Kingdom, its dependencies, and independent Commonwealth nations like Canada and Australia.
What makes the Scottish Church different?
The modern Church of Scotland was founded during the Protestant Reformation by infamous theologian, John Knox.
The Church is presbyterian and has a strong level of independence, believing only Jesus Christ to be "king and head of the Church".
There is not a ‘supreme’ church leader, with the day-to-day running of the Church being left to the General Assembly and its moderator.
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