The first official Coronation portraits and photos give subtle insights into the personality of King Charles – and which members of the Royal family will have key roles in his slimmed-down monarchy – say experts.
Buckingham Palace released the first set of official images from the Coronation yesterday (Monday, May 8). And experts were quick to glean hidden meanings from the selection.
They included a striking new solo portrait of our newly-crowned King. And a sumptuous group shot of key royals in full regalia.
READ MORE: King Charles’s official Coronation portraits released
Of the King’s portrait, royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams said: “This one is a strong forceful portrait of a monarch who knows his own mind and is very experienced.”
And he noted that Queen Camilla looked “more relaxed and comfortable” wearing the crown in her solo portrait than she did during the coronation at Westminster Abbey.
Regarding the group portrait, Mr Fitzwilliam said the proximity of Princess Anne to the King in the group portrait “is no accident”. The Princess Royal – widely acknowledged as being one the hardest-working Royals – is expected to be the King’s right-hand woman.
He told the Mail Online: “Princess Anne’s proximity to the sovereign, that’s no accident. She’s experienced and hard-working.
“Anne’s been at it a long long time, she knows the ropes. The King knows how popular she is, so it’s no accident his sister is next door to him.
“It shows how much he appreciates her and how much he will be relying on her, she is extremely popular and has a high profile. People know who she is and respect her, that’s very important.”
Photographer Hugo Burnand, who took the portraits at Buckingham Palace on Saturday, told The Telegraph, the photos were a “family moment” that said “we keep it nice and cosy”.
