King Charles appeared to be carrying a concealed knife as part of his Highland ensemble at an engagement in Scotland.
The King wore full traditional dress while in Caithness, including a kilt and a small traditional dagger known as a skene-dhu tucked into his socks.
Charles was wearing a full kilt, in a Royal Stewart variant tartan, with other Highlander accoutrements including a sporran pouch and long red socks.
The skene-dhu could be seen worn in the traditional style, with the sheathed blade tucked into his socks and the upper part of the hilt, or handle, visible on his bare leg while.
King Charles wore a traditional Scottish dagger as part of his Highland dress
|GETTY
Skene-dhu's are a purely ceremonial item and are legal to wear in the UK, with some exceptions, as part of full highland dress.
The name is derived from Scottish Gaelic, a combination of sgian, meaning knife, and dubh, literally meaning black or another way of saying hidden.
They are short blades which call back to an era of clan conflict in the Highlands.
Charles has often worn a skene-dhu in previous occasions where he wore the Scottish traditional garb.
He was in the far north of Scotland ahead of his summer holiday at Balmoral, where he was marking the 70th anniversary of the Dounreay Nuclear site.
The skene-dhu ceremonial blade is worn tucked into the socks, as displayed by the King while in Scotland
|GETTY
The reception, held at Scrabster Harbour, was put on by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority.
They also observed the 50th anniversary of the Pacific Nuclear Transport Limited (PNTL), and the 20th Anniversary of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority.
On arrival at Scrabster's Jubilee Pier, the King met the crew of the Pacific Heron, the second-generation purpose-built nuclear transport vessel, and unveiled a plaque for the ship.
King Charles also met local sea cadets and Royal National Lifeboat Institution volunteers from the area.
Charles has worn the dagger in a similar style many times previously
|GETTY
Continuing to the Fish Market Hall, Charles spent time meeting staff from the nuclear industry and local community members from Thurso, before unveiling another plaque to commemorate the visit.
During the visit, the King stopped to speak to members of the public who had gathered to greet him.
A couple form nearby Thurso, David and Jacky Mackay, were among those welcoming the King.
"I remember the Queen Mother coming to Caithness and now to meet the King, I am honoured – absolutely honoured," Mackay glowed.
LATEST ROYAL NEWS:
The King was in the far north of Scotland ahead of his summer holiday at Balmoral
|GETTY
"And his handshake is so strong!" the amazed local praised.
"It’s a wonderful thing for Caithness, the fact that royalty have got so much love for the county," he added.
The King's trip to Scotland also coincided with Donald Trump’s own visit, as the US President travelled to his various properties in his mother’s homeland.
However, it was announced the King and Trump would not meet due to diary constraints – waiting instead to the official State Visit in September.