The outstanding work of people across Scotland has been recognised at an investiture held by the Queen at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh.

Around 70 people were honoured during the ceremony in the palace's Great Gallery to mark their contribution to society in areas ranging from politics to business.

The Queen spoke to guests including Sir Paul Grice, chief executive of the Scottish Parliament, who was knighted for services to the parliament and voluntary service to higher education and the community in Scotland.

Mr Grice, who has worked at the Scottish Parliament for the entirety of its 17-year history, said it has been a "great privilege" to have been part of it since the beginning.

He said: "It's been a wonderful day and it's been particularly special to have my mother here and my wife and my daughters. We've been well looked after and it was a wonderful ceremony.

"I got a letter in the post last December, and I had to read it two or three times to be absolutely sure what it was, and it was a wonderful letter to get.

"I think it's recognition for all the staff at the parliament. It's been an absolutely fantastic job, a great privilege and I hope it is a recognition of all the work that the staff have done in the parliament itself."

Michael Welch, managing director of online tyre retailer Blackcircles.com, was made an OBE for services to business and voluntary service to adoption and fostering.

But he said he thought he might have been in "a spot of bother" when he received the official letter from Downing Street.

Mr Welch said: "The Queen was very engaging, she was obviously really well briefed. She knew a lot about what we've been up to, so it was a really nice touch."

"I've run businesses for as far back as I can remember and we recently set up a charitable trust, myself and my wife, for adoption and fostering, so we've been very involved for the last five years or so in that.

"We were just blown away to be recognised and honoured for that today. We don't do these things for a day like this but when it comes along it's really very special."

Other guests honoured included Professor Dame Anne Glover, lately chief scientific adviser to the president of the European Commission, for her services to science, and Anne McIlveen, founder of the charity Salt and Light, for her services to the community in Glasgow.

Following the investiture, the Queen had a private meeting with Scottish Parliament Presiding Officer Ken Macintosh.

The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh later hosted hundreds of guests at the annual Garden Party at Holyroodhouse.

Among the invitees were members of the Ballater community on Royal Deeside who worked tirelessly to help victims of the devastating floods that hit the Aberdeenshire village at the start of the year.

The Queen spoke to local minister Vittoria Hancock, charity organiser Stewart Archibald and police officer Stephen Robertson, who described how work is still going on to get businesses open and people back into their homes.

Sgt Robertson said: "There were so many people significantly affected - from an emergency response perspective it was really challenging.

"We probably couldn't have succeeded without the good will and support of the community and I think that today is perhaps in recognition of that.

"As a community we have a lot of contact with the Royal Household.

"The Prince of Wales has been a staunch supporter of the recovery work that's still going on.

"A lot of retail properties are still vacant and homes are still being renovated.

"The police station has only just returned to full function within the last few weeks. The work will go on until December at least."

Mr Archibald runs Ballater Charitable Chiels, which set up an online fund to help flooding victims, raising about £110,000 to share among those affected to help cover the excess on their insurance, replace lost clothes and other items, and get them back on their feet.

He said: "We also helped with house clearances, picking up sand bags, and basically just helping anyone we could.

"The whole village could have been here today, to be honest. Everyone has done something.

"But I'm very honoured to be representing Chiels."

The Earl of Wessex and the Princess Royal also met guests at the Garden Party, which took place in the sunshine after showers earlier in the day.

The Queen was presented with a commemorative bench by Nicola Sturgeon to mark her 90th birthday.

Clashach stone from Moray has been used to create the bench and its timber seating slats are made from a felled elm tree planted at Holyroodhouse under the direction of Prince Albert and Queen Victoria.

Designed by Historic Environment Scotland and crafted by modern apprentice stonemasons based in Elgin, it has been carved with a rose, Lion Rampant and stag's head motifs.

The First Minister, who had an audience with the Queen at Holyroodhouse on Monday, said: ''On behalf of the people of Scotland I would like to personally send our warm wishes to Her Majesty the Queen on her 90th birthday.

''Last year we were fortunate to be able to celebrate with Her Majesty as she became the United Kingdom and Commonwealth's longest-serving monarch.

''Our present was specially designed with Her Majesty in mind and each carved element required many hours of focused concentration and advanced stonemasonry skills.

''I would like to join the thousands of people across the country toasting Her Majesty as her birthday celebrations continue during her annual visit during royal week in Scotland