Holyrood guest gives King a hug at event to mark 25 years of Scottish Parliament

Yvonne Macmillan said she had hugged the King, who was diagnsoed with cancer earlier this year, ‘because of him being unwell’

King Charles was given a hug by one woman who asked about his health as he met ‘local heroes’ at Holyrood (Jane Barlow/PA)

A woman has said she gave the King a hug as he visited Holyrood “because of him being unwell”.

Yvonne Macmillan, 59, from East Renfrewshire, chatted to Charles as she attended a special ceremony to mark 25 years of the Scottish Parliament.

The King was diagnosed with cancer in February this year, and underwent treatment shortly afterwards.

He has now returned to public duties, with Mrs Macmillan telling the PA news agency: “I asked him if he was feeling better and if I could give him a hug. I actually said to him: ‘Can I hug you?’

“As I hugged him I said: ‘God bless you’, so it was like God giving him a hug.”

Mrs Macmillan was at Holyrood accompanying her husband Russell, also 59, who is registered blind.

He was invited to Saturday’s ceremony as a “local hero” – community champions nominated by each of Holyrood’s MSPs in recognition of their work in their local area.

Mr Macmillan was nominated after he set up a charity to raise money after undergoing a pancreas and kidney transplant, saying the person whose organs he received had “saved my life”.

He said the King had been “grateful” for the couple’s good wishes after they asked about his health.