The Princess of Wales was all smiles as she attended a Sunday church service with Prince William, the King and Queen and other royals near the Balmoral estate.

The Royal Family put on a united front following the shock news that Prince Harry and wife Meghan would be moving back to Britain.

Troops from Balaklava Company, 5th Battalion Royal Regiment of Scotland, provided a guard of honour as the family members arrived at the tiny granite Crathie Kirk in Aberdeenshire.

The soldiers lined up on both sides of the leafy driveway leading up to the church, and the fleet of cars passed between them as they took their royal occupants up to the door.

Charles and Camilla were travelling in the first car, while William was driving the second car – which also carried Kate and the couple’s three children.

A crowd of onlookers had gathered outside the front of the church to witness their arrival.

Jayne Williams, from Pencoed in South Wales, said it was “just a fluke” she happened to be visiting the Balmoral area on the day members of the royals were attending a church service.

“We saw all the the soldiers in the car park, thought what the heck’s going on, asked the policeman, and he informed us that the royal family are in for a service,” she explained.

“Hence why we’ve stayed then to get a glimpse of as many of them as we can.”

She added: “It’s once in a lifetime. It’s just amazing to see them actually in person, and that all you see normally is in magazines and on the TV.”

This was echoed by Fiona Wallace, 59, who had travelled down from Inverurie, Aberdeenshire, for the occasion.

She described seeing the royals close up as “overwhelming”.

“I was never had much of a royal family inkling,” she said.

“I didn’t bother much with the royal family, but now I’ve seen them, it’s different. I’d like to see more.”

The royal family arrived for their traditional summer holiday on the Balmoral estate earlier in the week.

The small Church of Scotland parish kirk is their regular place of worship when they are at Balmoral, and Queen Elizabeth II regularly attended services there.

The visit comes days after news of the Duke of Sussex’s imminent return to the UK emerged.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have secured their own non-royal accommodation outside of London and they have also chosen schools for their two young children - Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five.

Prince Harry is understood to have "privately pleaded" with Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood for a final decision over his family’s security funding, according to the Daily Mail.

Senior royals are understood to have held a “Sussex Summit” at Balmoral Castle following Wednesday's news that the couple planned to uproot from their current home in Montecito in California.

It is understood that round-the-clock armed police protection for Sussexes could exceed £5 million following their return to the UK.