King Charles III was gifted a brand new horse - one of the horses that performed across Canada as part of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police musical ride.

The mare, named Noble, is a gift from the RCMP to the king, and has settled into her new home this week.

A photo posted by the royal family on Twitter on Saturday showed a tall black horse standing next to King Charles III.

"The seven-year-old mare - who stands 16.2 hands tall - is currently settled at The Royal Mews in Windsor," the tweet said, adding that she "was chosen for her athletic ability and calm demeanor."

She was also chosen after the king was impressed by her performance during a famous musical tour of the RCMP, where officers perform complex formations to music while riding horses.

The royal statement added that King Charles III was "happy" to meet Noble earlier this week, as it is an old tradition for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) to present a horse to the reigning monarch; during Queen Elizabeth II's reign, she was given eight horses in total from 1969 to 2019.

A press release from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police also explained that Noble's journey to the royal family was to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the founding of the RCMP, and the upcoming coronation of King Charles III in May.

Brenda Luckie, a representative of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, said in the statement: "The RCMP has had the honor of enjoying a strong personal relationship with the royal family for over a century. As we celebrate the 150th anniversary of our organization this year and look forward to the coronation of our new king in the spring, it seems only fitting to mark these dual milestones with the gift of Noble to His Majesty King Charles III this year."

Noble was bred and trained in Canada through the RCMP program in Beckingham, Ontario.