Buckingham Palace has revealed the first official picture of King Charles III alongside the Queen Consort, Camilla, and the Prince and Princess of Wales.
The new portrait shows the monarch placing his arm around his wife, Camila. At his side is his eldest son and heir to the throne, William, along with the recently appointed Princess of Wales Kate, who puts her arm on her husband’s back.
All four royals were dressed in all-black mourning. The portrait was taken at Buckingham Palace the night before Queen Elizabeth’s funeral on September 18, when the royal family welcomed world leaders who joined the reception.
King Carlos III, 73, posed with one hand in his pocket and managed to appear almost relaxed despite the sad circumstances. His Majesty, his wife, son and daughter-in-law were on the Ministers’ Stairs at Buckingham Palace, where walls have been adorned with portraits of other monarchs.
Behind the group is a portrait of the longest-reigning king in British history, King George III, who bought Buckingham House, now the Palace, as a retreat.
According to a source close to the Palace, the photo was private and had been taken to record a “historic moment” for the family.
The eldest son of the late Queen Elizabeth was officially proclaimed King of the United Kingdom on September 10.
During a televised ceremony, the Accession Council made the official proclamation, read out by the Privy Council made up of Cabinet ministers, leaders of the Church of England, and judges.
“The crown of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is solely and rightfully come to the Prince Charles Philip Arthur George,” the council clerk read.
“We… do now hereby with one voice and consent of tongue and heart publish and proclaim that the Prince Charles Philip Arthur George is now by the death of our late Sovereign of happy memory become our only lawful and rightful liege lord, Charles III .”
Just over a week ago, another photo showed the new monarch working at Buckingham Palace, sitting at a desk as he attended to the daily dispatch of documents from the UK, Commonwealth and world leaders on September 11, in a scene commonly associated with Queen Elizabeth.
