The King was welcomed by refugees and nursery pupils waving homemade flags as he visited a community food bank.
Charles visited The Gate, a community resource in Alloa, Clackmannanshire, which provides support to people facing homelessness and food insecurity.
He was greeted by refugees from Turkey and Syria, and was given an enthusiastic hug by the first woman he met on his walkabout on Thursday.
He joked about ageing with one volunteer who is of a similar age.
Nursery children await the King’s arrival (Jane Barlow/PA)
Wearing traditional Scottish dress including a kilt, Charles arrived by helicopter from Dumfries House, East Ayrshire, and was then driven to the community centre, greeted by crowds shouting “God save the King”, while protesters who were cordoned off from the event shouted: “Not my King.”
He met trustees and volunteers at The Gate, which helped 4,273 people in Clackmannanshire last year and provided 190 food parcels per month, and admired the sponge cakes on offer at the community cafe.
Upon meeting volunteer Hugh Grant, secretary of local refugees charity Forth Valley Welcome, the 76-year-old King told him: “You are not going to be 75 – it’s bad enough when you get to 76, it’s slightly alarming.
The King received a hug from one well-wisher during his walkabout (Jane Barlow/PA)
“You don’t stop, do you?”
He later met a Turkish man who told him that his Syrian wife is pregnant.
During his walkabout, Charles was greeted by a group of nursery children with homemade crowns and flags, who had been practising curtsies.
Emma Hunter, four, said: “I made a smiley face for my crown. We’ve been on the bus to get here.”
Iona Trainer, four, said: “We made the crowns this morning.”
Charles surveyed the stock in the food bank (Jane Barlow/PA)
Rura Huggan, also four, had been practising the Bonnie Banks Of Loch Lomond in anticipation of the visit, and sang it while waiting for the King.
However Cameron McKay, who is also four, said the most exciting part of the day was getting the bus.
Nursery manager Jodie McCutcheon said: “We have been learning about the royal family and watched videos of the Queen.”
Part-time cook Elizabeth Agate, 66, presented the King with a scone and a millionaire’s slice, and told him that she used to see him at the races in her hometown of Ascot. She said Charles replied: “Well I never.”
Ms Agate said: “Anyone and everyone comes in, which is lovely.”
Charles took the time to shake hands with many of those gathered outside The Gate for his visit (Jane Barlow/PA)
Charles met representatives from charities which had received a Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service or a King’s Award for Voluntary Service.
Mary Laing, 66, chairwoman of the Alloa Development Group, said: “It was so lovely, we are so proud of what we do and we were the first people in Scotland to receive the King’s Award. It is so nice to get appreciated.
“We are doing the best we can. During the lockdown we were feeding 32,000 people, separate from The Gate.”
Founders of Tullibody History Group, Chris Calder, 80, and Rita Craig, 79, said it was the first time a King had visited in around a century.
Mrs Craig said: “It’s probably a century at least – certainly not in my lifetime. He was very nice when we met him.”
Charles met charity volunteers and staff (Jane Barlow/PA)
The Gate founder Evelyn Paterson said the visit was “the best thing that’s ever happened to us”.
The charity provides around 75,000 meals per year and supports four satellite food larders in the region.
Mrs Paterson said that of the 90 volunteers, some had come from the client base, and some of the 12 members of staff had progressed from voluntary roles to paid employment.
She said: “The King’s visit has been the best thing that’s ever happened to us.
“We set up to try and relieve poverty. There’s pockets of deprivation in this area, it used to be a very affluent town.
“We started with five or six food parcels a week and provided 75,000 meals per year.
“We can’t do what we do without the dedication of the volunteers.”