After the sad news of the passing of Her Majesty The Queen, we look back at when she visited our area.

East Ayrshire and the royal family will always have an historic connection, after the Prince's Foundation purchased Dumfries House in 2007.

Since then, the Prince - now the King - has turned it into a central hub for educational and historic visits, as well as a popular destination for dog walkers and joggers alike.

Cumnock Chronicle: The Queen, joined by HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, The Duke and Duchess of RothesayThe Queen, joined by HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, The Duke and Duchess of Rothesay (Image: NQ Archive)

Back in 2014, crowds flocked to see the head of state arrive in Cumnock with the Duke of Edinburgh, as well as The Duke and Duchess of Rothesay.

Her Majesty was there to officially open the Queen Elizabeth walled garden.

In front of a crowd of over 1,300 donors, volunteers, members of the local community, builders contractors and staff, Her Majesty The Queen officially declared the garden open by unveiling an engraved sundial.

Their Royal Highnesses met with Trustee and donor Mr David Brownlow, Mr Michael Innes, the garden designer, Mr William Pye, the fountain designer and other contractors and volunteers.

Cumnock Chronicle: Officially opening the gardenOfficially opening the garden (Image: NQ Archive)

The occasion also presented the first opportunity for The Duke of Rothesay to see the finished gothic Belvedere which stands on the top level of the garden and has been completed to The Duke of Rothesay's own design and pencil drawing.

The opening of the Queen Elizabeth Garden came almost seven years to the day since The Duke of Rothesay first purchased the house in June 2007 with funding from a consortium of charitable foundations.

Cumnock Chronicle: Crowds gathered to see her appearanceCrowds gathered to see her appearance (Image: NQ Archive)

One of the largest walled gardens of its type in Scotland, it had been neglected for some 250 years.

Members of the local community gathered in October 2011 to start clearing the site which revealed the remains of a vine house, greenhouses, steps and paths and, most importantly, created a clear area around a 350 year old sycamore tree which stands in the centre of the garden.