King Charles visits cathedral and LGBT memorial

King Charles has visited Staffordshire for an engagement at Lichfield Cathedral and the dedication ceremony of the LGBT Armed Forces memorial at the National Memorial Arboretum.

Crowds lined outside the cathedral to greet the monarch, 14 years after the late Queen Elizabeth II's visit to the historic landmark.

At the venue, the King viewed the Table for the Nation carving, which is made from 5,000-year-old black oak, and is in residency in Lichfield for a year.

He then travelled to the arboretum, where he laid flowers to honour LGBT+ people who have served in the military.

The King laid flowers on "the opened letter" memorial

Earlier at the cathedral, the King was serenaded by a choir as he made time to speak to members of dozens of community groups, including representatives from the city's food bank and Liberty Jamboree, which supports young people with learning or physical disabilities, and volunteers from the cathedral's embroiderers.

Dagma Maskova and John Collins from the Fabric Vault in Lichfield showed the King a community craft table runner project called Common Threads.

Mr Collins said: "It was an amazing chance to show what the community can do. We've got schools and local businesses who have all taken part.

"It was great to have a chat with him and he listened which was amazing."

• King unveils LGBT veterans memorial

The Dean of Lichfield Cathedral, the Rt Revd Jan McFarlane, said the cathedral was "thrilled" to welcome the King.

"We are so proud of our magnificent cathedral and city, and it means a great deal to everyone to be able to show our King all that is happening in our community," she added.

During the visit, the King was heckled by a protester asking him about Prince Andrew's relationship to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The man asked how long the King had known about his brother and Epstein, and also questioned whether he had asked the police to "cover up" for Andrew.

In video footage from the event, the protester said: "How long have you known about Andrew and Epstein? Have you asked the police to cover up for Andrew?

"Should MPs be allowed to debate the royals in the House of Commons?"

The King did not respond to the questions but carried on greeting fans, some of whom chanted "God Save The King".

Table for the Nation will go on public display following the King's visit

The King was cheered by thousands of well-wishers as he visited the cathedral, including former Lichfield MP Michael Fabricant and fans from Italy and the US, who had waited outside for hours.

Some members of the crowd waved flags, held posters and photographs and chanted "God save the King" as the royal spent time shaking hands and speaking to people.

Among those at the front of the barrier was Annie Shakespeare from Pelsall, who said: "I love King Charles and Camilla. I think they're adorable. We're so lucky, absolutely delighted."

Lianne Tunstall, from Stoke-on-Trent, arrived at 08:00 GMT to get a spot next to the barrier with her daughter.

"We thought we were too late because we got stuck in traffic. We thought we would be right at the back," she said.

"So we feel very lucky to be here."

Lianne Tunstall arrived early on Monday morning for a chance to see the King

One of those to shake the King's hand was Douglas Higginbotham, who flew in from New York earlier on Monday.

"Unbelievable, I didn't think I would even see him," he said.

"I flew in from New York for the day to see my dad, and just happened to be in Lichfield to see the King.

"It's the King, you've got to come. If he comes to your home, you've got to say hello and welcome him to Lichfield, a beautiful city with a cathedral and everything. It was amazing."

The King shakes hands with Douglas Higginbotham outside Lichfield Cathedral

Later, at the arboretum, the King viewed a sculpture, named "an opened letter", which recognised people who served at a time when they could face intrusive investigations, dismissal and in some cases imprisonment.

Peter Gibson, the chief executive of Fighting With Pride which led the memorial project, said the unveiling was "a deeply emotional moment, expressing in physical form that what happened to them should never have taken place".