Prince William gets promotion days after Harry quits royal life

Prince William has been handed a new role by the Queen as his brother prepares to step back from the royal family.

The Duke of Cambridge, 37, has been made the Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland by the Queen, while the Duke of Sussex begins his search for freedom away from the monarchy.

Harry and Meghan are dropping their HRH styles and will raise their son, Archie Mountbatten-Windsor, mostly in Canada.

The Duke made an emotional speech last weekend, saying he had "no other option" but to give up his role.

Meanwhile, Prince William steps up to be the sovereign's personal representative to the annual General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.

The Lord High Commissioner role was established in the 1707 Act of Union between England and Scotland, and the Queen pledged to continue it during the first Privy Council meeting of her reign in 1952.

William will make the opening and closing addresses to the Assembly, as well as carrying out official visits across Scotland.

The Church of Scotland is a Presbyterian church and recognises only Jesus Christ as "King and Head of the Church", so the Queen will attend services as an ordinary member.

The Queen appoints a figure to the role every year, and previous royal family members who have taken it on include the Princess Royal, the Duke of Rothesay, the Duke of York and the Earl of Wessex.

Her Majesty was yesterday pictured driving through the Sandringham Estate, two days after she pulled out of the annual Women's Institute visit while she recovered from a minor cold.

Husband Prince Philip was spotted in the passenger seat of a car with his daughter Princess Anne as she drove through the Norfolk Estate.