Prince Edward meets award participants at Holyroodhouse for first time since becoming Duke of Edinburgh

The newly appointed Duke of Edinburgh has carried out his first engagement with Duke of Edinburgh Award participants since the title was conferred on him.

The King on Friday handed his late father’s title as Duke of Edinburgh to his brother, Prince Edward, honouring the late Queen and Philip’s wishes.

Philip wanted his son to take on the historic title to mark Edward’s decades-long commitment to the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, the youth scheme which is one of Philip’s greatest legacies.

On Monday, the Duke hosted 10 Duke of Edinburgh (DofE) Award participants at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh.

He met them in his role as award scheme trustee in his first engagement with participants since he was named Duke of Edinburgh.

The Duke met with young people from Edinburgh, the Highlands and Falkirk, and listened to their views on issues ranging from mental health to the importance of connecting with their communities and the great outdoors.

One student from Braes High School, Falkirk, said: “I do DofE because it lets me connect with the countryside and gives me the chance to meet new people and learn new skills.

“Today was surreal – a once in a lifetime opportunity to meet the newly appointed Duke of Edinburgh.”

Young people from Broughton High School, Edinburgh, and from Highland Council, and Edinburgh-based social justice and race equality charity, ScoreScotland, also joined the conversation which was chaired by the Duke in his role as a trustee.

The DofE requires young people aged 14-24 to choose activities in four sections: improving a physical and skills activity, volunteering for a cause of their choice, and completing a demanding expedition, as well as a five-day residential course at gold level.

More than 29,000 young people in Scotland are currently doing their DofE.

It has launched projects to fund schools and community organisations in the UK’s most deprived areas to start running the DofE, support more young people with additional needs, and expand in prisons and young offender institutions.