King pictured with Scotland’s First Minister at Holyroodhouse on eve of election

SNP leader John Swinney has pledged a period of ‘soul searching’ for his party after what he described as a ‘very poor’ performance.

The King during an audience with First Minister John Swinney at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh on Wednesday (Jane Barlow/PA) (PA Wire)

The King, in his tartan kilt, met Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney on the eve of the election, before the SNP suffered catastrophic losses.

Charles received the politician at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh on Wednesday.

An audience with the First Minister traditionally features during the monarch’s annual Holyrood Week.

But the images were not released until after the outcome of the General Election became clear on Friday, in keeping with the period of pre-election sensitivity for the royal family in the run up to the vote.

Mr Swinney could be seen shaking hands and bowing to a grinning Charles.

By the early hours of Friday, the SNP leader was pledging a period of “soul searching” for his party after what he described as a “very poor” performance.

Scottish Labour overturned almost a decade of SNP dominance in Scotland’s Westminster seats, taking a majority of constituencies.

When a rain-soaked Rishi Sunak announced his surprise summer vote on May 22, Buckingham Palace said the royal family were postponing appearances “which may appear to divert attention or distract from the election campaign”.

The King is a constitutional monarch who must remain politically neutral.

Charles, the Queen, the Prince of Wales and Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh all travelled to Edinburgh for a shortened Holyrood Week.

It was condensed to just two days to give the King time to return to London to be ready to appoint a prime minister on Friday, with his Scottish engagements designed with political sensitivity in light of the UK’s turn at the ballot box on July 4.