Buckingham Palace has marked King Charles III’s 76th birthday by releasing a striking new portrait of the monarch.
The image showed the King wearing a smart royal blue suit with a matching patterned tie, standing confidently with one hand in his pocket whilst resting the other on a chair.
The formal photograph appears to have been taken in the throne room, capturing the monarch’s warm smile.
The Palace shared the portrait on the Royal Family’s official social media accounts, accompanied by the simple message: “Wishing His Majesty The King a very Happy Birthday today.”
Buckingham Palace release new photo of King Charles to mark monarch’s birthday
X / Royal Family
Though his birthday falls in November, the King had already celebrated his official birthday in June with the traditional Trooping the Colour parade, following royal custom.
The King treated his 76th birthday as a normal working day, continuing with his royal duties.
He marked the occasion with a visit to a surplus food festival in Deptford, south London.
The engagement included opening the first two Coronation Food Hubs, precisely one year after launching his Coronation Food Project.
King Charles III arrives for the opening of the first Coronation Food Hub in DeptfordPAThe initiative was designed to address the pressing issue of food waste and need across the UK, particularly relevant during the current cost-of-living crisis.
The project aims to bridge the gap between surplus food and those experiencing food insecurity throughout the UK.
This marks the King’s first birthday since revealing his cancer diagnosis in February this year.
Despite facing personal health challenges, the monarch has maintained his commitment to royal duties.
King Charles greeting Sadiq Khan for the occasionPAThe King carried out today’s engagement solo, as Queen Camilla, who had planned to join him, remains absent while recovering from a chest infection.
His determination to continue working through his treatment has demonstrated his dedication to public service.
The birthday celebrations have been marked by messages of support from across the Royal Family, including Prince William, who shared a recent photograph from the King’s tour of Australia and Samoa on social media.
The Royal Family’s social media accounts led the digital birthday tributes to the King.
King Charles attended the event without Queen Camilla
PA
The official Royal Family Instagram account shared the new portrait alongside a birthday cake emoji.
Prince William and Kate’s Kensington Palace X (formerly Twitter) account posted a recent photograph from the King’s tour of Australia and Samoa.
Their message read simply: “Wishing a very Happy Birthday to His Majesty The King!”
This birthday marks a significant milestone in what has been an eventful year for the Royal Family, following both the King’s and Princess of Wales’s cancer diagnoses.
Despite these challenges, the Palace has maintained its tradition of marking royal birthdays with formal portraits and concise social media messages.