The Queen has visited Scotland's iconic Kelpies with the Duke of Edinburgh.

The royal couple arrived at the sculpture by barge after leading a flotilla of boats along a newly-finished section of a waterway

After disembarking the Queen unveiled plaque naming it the Queen Elizabeth II Canal.

Kelpies creator Andy Scott discussed his work with the Queen during the event on Wednesday morning.

He said: "The Queen was asking me about the history of the project and the relationship with the Clydesdale horses.

"The Duke was particularly interested in the internal structure, the engineering, the fabrication that went on."

The event could be the royal couple's last joint engagement before Prince Philip retires from public life.

The event marked the conclusion of a project aimed at returning Scotland's canals to a useable state for the first time in 50 years.

Andrew Thin, chairman of Scottish Canals, said: "We are honoured that Her Majesty the Queen was able to join us to celebrate the naming of the Queen Elizabeth II Canal in her honour.

"The Kelpies and the Queen Elizabeth II Canal are helping put Falkirk and Grangemouth on tourists' 'to see' lists the world over."

The 100ft-tall, 600-tonne Kelpies have stood at the eastern entrance to the Forth and Clyde canal in Falkirk since 2013. Modelled after a pair of Clydesdales, they are a monument to Scottish workhorses.

Later, the Queen visited Stirling Castle to mark 70 years since she was appointed colonel-in-chief of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders.

She was presented with the keys to the castle by the Earl of Mar and Kellie, the hereditary keeper of the keys.

The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh both signed the visitors' book and later attended a lunch inside the castle's grand hall.