King Charles shocks with bold move during son Prince Harry's overseas trip

King Charles amazed villagers with an unexpected visit to a whisky shop and newsstand in a small Scottish village this week.

The 77-year-old monarch spent time in Aboyne near Aberdeen on Tuesday, a short half-hour drive from Balmoral Castle.

He took a trip to George Stratchan Limited, a news vendor carrying a royal warrant, where the King shared with locals memories of visiting during his childhood stays in Balmoral.

The King visited to commemorate the business's 100th year, with significant police presence on the streets prior to his unannounced arrival.

One local shared with the area newspaper Press and Journal their "shock" at seeing the King, while another noted his "happiness" at being in the vicinity.

They expressed: "It all took place so quickly. We were out with the dog when we heard all these sirens. Before we knew it, four police vehicles were positioned on Ballater Road. I couldn't believe it."

The Black Faced Sheep, an independent café in Aboyne, described the "thrilling visit" in a social media post. 

A note in the Court Circular, which records royal engagements, read afterward: "The King this morning visited George Strachan Limited of Royal Deeside, Main Street, Aboyne, to commemorate its Centenary and was welcomed by the Lady Saltoun. His Majesty engaged with members of the Strachan family and shop staff."

This outing marks the first public appearance of the King since he attended the Easter Sunday service in Windsor on April 5.

It also signifies his first outing since his son, Prince Harry, embarked on his whirlwind tour of Australia with his wife, Meghan Markle.

On Tuesday, shortly after the King's public appearance, Harry shared unusual insights about growing up with King Charles and his late mother, Princess Diana.

He revealed undisclosed "conversations" they didn't have, with one being about social media, which wasn't around 40 years ago. The Duke of Sussex mentioned that children should ideally be "improvements" upon their parents, but emphasized that he isn’t "blaming" Charles and Diana in their parenting.

The King has enjoyed a more serene schedule the past two weeks, but the upcoming royal calendar is as packed as ever.

In the next week, the King and Queen Camilla alongside other royal members will honor the 100th birth anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II.

The late Queen’s life will be honored through a variety of events around her birth date – April 21 – the day she would have reached 100.

The King and Queen are also slated for a four-day visit to the US from April 27-30 to celebrate the 250th anniversary of American independence, meeting President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania.