The Queen Consort looked elegant in cream today as she arrived in Colchester with King Charles to celebrate it becoming a city.

Camilla, 75, walked alongside the King at Colchester castle where she will celebrate with local communities and organisations which represent the city’s heritage.

Colchester became a city officially in November last year, and was awarded the status during the Queen Platinum Jubilee.

Camilla looked radiant as she wore a collared cream longline coat, which she paired with a brown wide-brimmed fluffy hat and a beige animal print scarf, which was tucked into her coat.

She contrasted her ivory look with black leather gloves and a classic black clutch bag. She donned pearl stud earrings and also wore a pair of onyx timeless suede heeled boots.

The royal couple also met those who care for the animals at Colchester Zoo to unveil which name they have chosen for their newest addition, a baby white rhino. 

Outside the castle, Charles revealed the name of the rhino which is Dara, by pulling a cord to draw back material which had covered the name on an easel.

A town crier then rang a bell and boomed, as Charles chuckled: ‘Oyez, oyez, oyez! I officially proclaim Colchester Zoo’s newest addition as baby Dara.’

The King told zoo staff: ‘I do hope it grows into a substantial animal.’

One schoolgirl handed the King a drawing of him, with the words ‘best King’ written above the image.

Andy Moore, conservation education manager at Colchester Zoo, said the name Dara means beautiful one in Swahili.

‘It was all a secret and a surprise so his majesty revealed it for us,’ he said.

‘And then the town crier obviously then – probably people in Wivenhoe and further away could hear.

‘It was really great.’

Rebecca Moore, zoo director, said the team at the zoo chose the name which was revealed by the King.

‘It’s a fitting birthday present for the zoo – it’s the 60th anniversary this year,’ she said.

Inside the castle, Charles met local organisations which represent the city’s heritage and communities, was shown a historic vase, and an artefact trolley by youngsters.

The mayor of Colchester, Tim Young, told the King during a reception: ‘Words cannot describe how much it means to us that you are here.’

He said that he was pleased that the Letters Patent which officially recognise Colchester as a city have been placed in the chapel of the castle, ‘especially as this is the very room where the mayoress and I had our wedding just 10 days ago – in this very room, in this very suit’.

‘This will always certainly be a very special place for us,’ said Mr Young.

But despite the royal couple receiving flowers and gifts, not everyone gave them a warm welcome.

Upon arrival, protesters shouted and held a yellow banner that said ‘not my King’.

One of the protesters, speaking through a megaphone, said as Charles and Camilla got out of a car: ‘Answer your critics Charles, come and talk to your critics.’

The protester added: ‘Why are you wasting our money?’

The King waved to the gathered crowds before going through a gate into Colchester Castle’s grounds, but did not appear to acknowledge the protesters who were stood on the far side of the road behind a police presence.

One of the placard-waving protesters was climate change denier and anti-vaccines activist Piers Corbyn, brother of ex-Labour leader Jeremy.

He said he wanted to protest against the ‘Terra Carta’ – a ‘charter’ of green initiatives devised by Charles when he was Prince of Wales.

Linda Cameron, 45, from Colchester said: ‘There were only a few of them but they had a mega