The King has released his first Christmas card as monarch, choosing a photo taken of himself and the Queen consort at a gathering in the Highlands days before the Queen died.
On Sunday, the Palace released the image, taken by award-winning photographer Sam Hussein, selected for the historic seasonal card.
The photo shows Charles, 74, and Camilla, 75, smiling at the Braemar Royal Highland Gathering on September 3, five days before the Queen died on September 8.
It captures the king in profile, wearing a tweed suit with a red, green and beige tie.
Scroll down for video
King Charles III has issued his first Christmas card since taking the throne; The card features a photo of the King and Queen consort photographed on September 3 – five days before the Queen died – at the Braemar Royal Highland Gathering
Meanwhile, Camilla wears a green suit and matching hat with a pheasant design and pearl earrings.
During the event, Charles officially opened a new structure celebrating the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee as he joined spectators at the Princess Royal and Duke of Fife Memorial Park for the annual Highland Games event. The Queen was not present due to her declining health.
Charles cut a cord of briar to mark the opening of Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee Arch.
The Palace released the image selected for the couple’s historic first Christmas card, saying it was taken by award-winning photographer Sam Hussein
Crowds from around the world joined him and the then Duchess of Cornwall to watch competitors take part in events such as caber throwing, hammer throwing and tug of war, as well as to celebrate some longstanding Scottish traditions, dances and music.
Camilla and the Princess Royal were presented with bouquets of heather by Chloe Guy, 10, and Cassie Stewart, 12, who are both members of the Braemar Royal Highland Society dance class, ahead of the start of the Games.
Camilla appeared to pick up a sprig of flowers and put it in her buttonhole, as seen in the Christmas card photo.
King Charles and the Queen Consort visited football on Friday to learn more about Wrexham’s regeneration, meeting club owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.
This image shows a Christmas card from the late Queen and Prince Phillip
King Charles appeared to share a joke with Hollywood A-Lister Ryan Reynolds – who bought the Welsh football club in February 2021
Last week, the King and Queen Consort met Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney as they visited the star-owned football club.
The Royals visited Wrexham AFC, which was bought by the cast in 2021, on Friday and met the players and staff as well as the co-chairmen during a tour of the racecourse.
Deadpool actor Reynolds and McElhenney, who star in It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, joked that they took etiquette classes before the visit.
Speaking to the media ahead of their meeting, Reynolds said: “I would say we are incredibly delighted to welcome him to the grounds of the racecourse, this historic church which resides in the heart of Wrexham and is in the heart of Wrexham.”
“Rob and I said that from the start, and it remains true and for the rest of our lives we will do everything to uplift and uplift this community and this club and the King’s visit is certainly one way of doing that. That for sure. Very excited.
The King was spotted speaking with staff and volunteers on Friday during a visit to Erddig in Wrexham, North Wales.
Harry and Meghan are told to stay AWAY from King Charles’ coronation
The actors said they had not watched the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s controversial Netflix show, which aired the day before the visit.
McElhenney said, “I’ve never heard of it.”
The stars recounted their takeover of the club in the documentary Welcome to Wrexham, which was being filmed when the King and Camilla visited.
It was probably a welcome distraction from the release of the Harry and Meghan Netflix series on Thursday.
A coalition of major political figures, senior military figures and respected historians have urged the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to stay away from next year’s coronation after the fallout from their incendiary streak.
Amid a chorus of much-loved voices calling on Harry and Meghan to stay at home, a former Cabinet minister has said the couple ‘categorically should not be’ at Westminster Abbey when Charles is crowned on 6 may.
The intervention comes days after the first episodes of the series included Harry’s claims of ‘unconscious bias’ regarding race in the
; an incendiary description of the late Queen’s beloved Commonwealth as “Empire 2.0”; and Meghan’s ostentatious parody of a curtsey.
Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith told the Mail on Sunday: ‘If they don’t like the royal family so much, why would they attend the coronation?
Fellow Tory veteran David Mellor echoed that sentiment, saying: “They shouldn’t come to the coronation.” They should absolutely not come.
“They make money selling their family downline. I think it should be clear that the British people don’t want them there.
He also suggested that people “would have every right to boo if the couple showed up”, adding: “They are a sad couple and there is no hope for them in their current journey.”
Lady Antonia Fraser, historian and author, added: “I hope they don’t come because I want the King and Queen to be the center of attention.” It worries me that if they come, the cameras might lose time with them. They should stay hand in hand in Hollywood.
A poll for The Mail on Sunday today reveals almost half of the public are in favor of the couple being left out of the coronation.
Also, twice as many people think Prince Harry should be cut out of the line of succession and stripped of his Duke of Sussex title, compared to those who think they should be allowed to keep their status.
0