King Charles III in Yorkshire: Triumphant visit to Bradford and Leeds for new monarch

But the welcome he received yesterday in Leeds and Bradford as he visited for the first time since ascending to the throne was something particularly special.

Thousands flocked to the West Yorkshire city centres to greet His Majesty as he mingled with civic leaders and the public.

In what is likely to be a trying week behind closed doors – Netflix’s new series of The Crown is launched today with early reviews singling out the King as being particularly maligned – Charles showed no sign of any tension, but seemed completely at ease with his people.

After landing by helicopter in the grounds of Bradford Grammar School, where he was greeted by cheering pupils, his first engagement took him into the city, where he met workers at the HQ of supermarket chain Morrisons.

Hundreds of staff watched from balconies and stairwells, and as he arrived, he chatted to people who worked at stores around the region, telling them: “Thank-you for your wonderful efforts.

"I hope they let you off at Christmas.”

Later, in a short speech, he told the staff: “It’s a great joy to see you all today.

“I had no idea quite how many of you worked here a t Morrisons.”

After discussing his tour and work he had heard about in the community, the King said: “I can only thank you for all that, wish you every possible success in the future and, eventually, a really happy Christmas ahead.”

The King then travelled to Bradford City Hall, where he was greeted by cheering crowds and a ‘mash-up’ of the City of Bradford Brass Band and the Punjabi Roots Academy.

On a walkabout he shook hands with members of the public, including Brian Warman from Leeds.

Mr Warman said: “I’ve followed King Charles’ life from being a baby – I’m a few years older than him. There’s been things very good, and times where he’s been a nuisance when he was a teenager.

“But he’s grown up and now he’s our King, so let’s see how he goes. His mother was a wonderful woman. I wrote to her and got a beautiful letter back from her in June.

“I’ve travelled today from Brighouse and got up early this morning, and he shook my hand – that was very nice.

“I won’t wash it now for the rest of the week.”

Charles met young leaders from across Bradford, including Britain’s first female hijabi boxer, Safiyyah Syeed, and Yeasin Mohammed, a Rohingya refugee who fled Myanmar before coming to the UK in 2010, and now owns Sizzling Lounge restaurant in Bingley.

Mr Mohammed said: “He was interested to hear that people can do things like that in times of struggle. He was happy and he mentioned he was going to go to a camp.

“It’s a big dream to see someone like that when back home we’ve seen, not even real pictures but ones people have drawn – to get the chance to meet him face to face and tell him my story is incredible.”

Then it was to Leeds, where the King was met by yet more roaring crowds before visiting the historic Leeds Central Library.

The King also visited Rebellion to Romance, an exhibition at the library by The Jamaica Society Leeds which explores the lives of second-generation West Indians in Leeds coming of age in the 1970s and 80s.

During the visit, the King was presented with a vintage programme from the 1933 opening of Leeds Civic Hall, carried out by King George V, as a gift from the people of Leeds.

Speaking afterwards the Lord Mayor of Leeds, Councillor Robert W Gettings said: “It’s been a great honour to welcome His Majesty to Leeds today and to have such a unique and prestigious opportunity to share with him some of the extraordinary accomplishments of our city and its communities.”

Today, the visit is set to continue with a poignant pair of engagements in York.

Joined by his wife, the King will undertake the ancient ceremony at Micklegate Bar last performed by his parents on their final visit to York in 2011.

Together they will journey to the North’s mother church – York Minster – where a statue to his late mother’s memory will be unveiled.

Then it will be to the south of the region – Doncaster to celebrate its joining the roster of Yorkshire cities