King Charles III Scotland visit: Charles and Queen Camilla tour Edinburgh Royal Infirmary to mark 75 years of NHS

The King and Queen have also unveiled a plaque at Holyrood Palace, marking the Jubilee Gates which were installed last year as a gift to the late Queen Elizabeth II

The Queen joked she “shared a birthday” with the National Health Service as she celebrated the institution’s 75th milestone with the King.

Charles and Camilla toured the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh meeting dozens of medical staff, patients and the public to mark the anniversary.

The NHS – the world’s best-known health system – came into being on July 5 1948.

King Charles III meets staff and patients as he visits NHS Lothian's Medicine of the Elderly Meaningful Activity Centre at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, to celebrate 75 years of the NHS. Picture: Jane Barlow - WPA Pool/Getty Images

It was launched by then health secretary Aneurin Bevan at Park Hospital in Manchester – today known as Trafford General Hospital.

When the Queen chatted to a group of elderly patients, she commented about the NHS’ anniversary: “I’m 75, I’m the same age as the NHS – we share a birthday.”

Nearby the King also spoke to some of the Infirmary’s oldest patients and quipped about his age – 74.

He said: “You get to the age I am, things don’t work as well as they used to,” before joining his wife to cut an NHS birthday cake.

The King and his wife were given a cradle-to-the-grave tour of the hospital, meeting maternity staff from midwives to obstetricians, before they chatted to those caring for patients coming towards the end of their lives.

In the hospital’s reception, a huge crowd was waiting to see the King and Queen after word got around they were visiting.

Camilla stopped to talk to doctors Zack Hassan, 28, and Robert Cronshaw, 29.

Dr Hassan, who when not working on the wards hosts the Healthy Discussions podcast, said: “She said to us, ‘doctors are looking younger every year’ and that’s something I hear from my patients.”