A smiling family portrait of the king, his son, who is first in line to the throne, and their wives has been released by Buckingham Palace.
The image of King Charles III. and his consort, standing alongside the Prince and Princess of Wales, was taken at Buckingham Palace on September 18, just 10 days after the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
The senior royals are wearing black as the picture was taken while mourning the Queen – leading the nation in mourning but also fulfilling official engagements.
Charles, 73, stands with his left hand on top of his bag while his right arm wraps gently around Camilla’s waist.
William, 40, now towering over Charles, stands proudly alongside his father and wife Catherine as the whole family group look straight at the camera and smile.
The photo was taken before Charles and Camilla hosted a reception at Buckingham Palace for world leaders on the eve of the Queen’s funeral.
The high-profile guest list of Presidents, Prime Ministers and Royals from around the world converged on what the King’s spokesman described as an “official state event”.
King Charles III poses during an audience with the Prime Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines, Ralph Gonsalves, and wife Eloise Gonsalves at Balmoral Castle
(Getty Images)
US President Joe Biden and his wife, First Lady Jill Biden, were among about 500 people in the palace’s main state rooms.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog, as well as French President Emmanuel Macron, who was accompanied by his wife, First Lady Brigitte, were among those invited to the reception for heads of state and official foreign guests.
Dozens of Commonwealth country leaders and members of foreign royal families also attended the reception. Many guests traveled in buses.
Working members of the royal family, including the Earl and Countess of Wessex, the Princess Royal and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, joined Charles and Camilla to mingle with the guests.
The event took place on the last full day of the Queen’s Representation at Westminster Hall.
Queen Elizabeth II, the nation’s longest-reigning monarch, died on September 8 at the age of 96.
Pictures were also released on Saturday as Charles conducted one of his first official audiences as monarch since royal mourning ended.
Charles and Camilla will hold their first public engagement together since the end of royal mourning with a visit to Dunfermline on Monday
(REUTERS)
He greeted Ralph Gonsalves, Prime Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines, with a friendly handshake and a slap on the wrist when they met in Balmoral, Scotland.
Mr Gonsalves’ wife, Eloise, also attended the event and posed alongside her husband for a photograph with the monarch.
The King and his wife have met the couple on previous occasions, including a visit to the Commonwealth realm as part of their 2019 Caribbean tour.
The couple also attended William and Kate’s wedding reception in 2011.
Charles and Camilla will hold their first public engagement together since the end of royal mourning by visiting Dunfermline on Monday to celebrate town status.
They will attend an official council meeting in the City Chambers and visit Dunfermline Abbey to celebrate new city status.
They will also host a reception at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh to celebrate Britain’s South Asian communities.
Eight locations have been named cities as part of the late monarch’s 70th anniversary celebrations after he successfully competed for the honor in the Platinum Jubilee Civic Honors Competition.
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