King Charles III and Queen Camilla Unveil Coronation Portraits

Yahoo

06-05-2025

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Originally appeared on E! Online
King Charles III and Queen Camilla are forever painted in history.
To celebrate the second anniversary of the couple's ascension to the throne on May 6, Buckingham Palaceunveiled two portraits, painted by artists that have previously collaborated with the royal family, to be displayed at the National Gallery before being moved to their permanent quarters in the Throne Room at Buckingham Palace.
'Take a closer look at the Coronation State Portraits of King Charles III and Queen Camilla,' the royal family's Instagram caption read, alongside a reveal of the stunning portraits. 'The portraits, which will form part of the Royal Collection, were painted by two different artists personally selected by Their Majesties. The King chose to be painted by Peter Kuhfeld and The Queen selected Paul S. Benney.'
Throughout the process of painting the King's portrait—in which Charles is depicted wearing the Robe of State, along with his naval uniform and medals, for his coronation—Kuhfeld revealed that the 76-year-old undertook five sittings at St. James' Palace over the past year and a half.
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'When he became King in 2022, I was delighted and honoured to be commissioned by him to paint his official Coronation State Portrait,' the artist—who had also painted Prince William and Prince Harry when they were younger—said in a statement. 'I have tried to produce a painting that is both human and regal, continuing the tradition of royal portraiture.'
"The sittings were extremely pleasurable on my part," he continued. "I like to talk when I'm painting and so we had a lot of chat and stories which we told each other.
For her part, Camilla, 77, sat on six different occasions in the Garden Room at Clarence House to be painted in her ivory-colored coronation dress by British designer Bruce Oldfield. And Benney has since revealed that the project took nearly a year to complete.
'It was an honor, privilege and total pleasure to undertake the first official portrait of Her Majesty since The Coronation,' Benney stated, 'and it is with some regret that the sittings for this important commission have come to end.'
'After nearly a year of being installed in a temporary studio at Clarence House, I have deep and abiding memories of many hours of fascinating and sometime hilarious conversation with Her Majesty on countless varied subjects,' he continued. 'I shall miss the quiet and relaxed atmosphere while I was working there even when Their Majesties were engaged elsewhere.'
For more recent news about the royal family, keep reading.
Prince Harry Loses Appeal to Dismiss Decision in His Security Protection Case
Over one year after the High Court denied additional security protection through the Royal and VIP Executive Committee, Prince Harry's legal fight ended when the courts dismissed the case May 2.
His and Meghan Markle's security was lessened after they stepped back as working members of the royal family in 2021 and moved to the United States. However, in the years that followed, Harry had requested security while visiting the U.K.
The Duke of Sussex told the BBC May 2 that he was 'devastated' about losing his legal battle. He emphasized, 'I can't see a world in which I would bring my wife and children back to the UK at this point.'
Prince Harry and King Charles III Are Not Speaking
Harry told the BBC May 2 that his father King Charles III won't speak to him 'because of this security stuff,' but added that 'it would be nice to reconcile.'
The Duke of Sussex, who shares kids Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet with Meghan, said that he would love to reconnect with his family. But the ball is in his dad's court.
'I can't see a world in which I would be bringing my wife and children back to the U.K. at this point,' he said. 'It's really quite sad that I won't be able to show my children my homeland.'
'There is a lot of control and ability in my father's hands, ultimately this whole thing could be resolved through him,' Harry added. 'Not necessarily by intervening but by stepping aside and allowing the experts to do what is necessary and to carry on.'
Despite the years of conflict, he's waving the white flag in hopes of reconciliation. He added, 'Life is precious, I don't know how much longer my father has.'
King Charles III Shares Insight Into His Cancer Diagnosis
Over one year after King Charles shared his cancer diagnosis, he wrote April 29 that his health journey and cancer treatment are experiences that bring 'into sharp focus the very best of humanity."
"Each diagnosis, each new case, will be a daunting and at times frightening experience for those individuals and their loved ones," Charles wrote in the booklet for the reception to provide resources for those with cancer. 'But as one among those statistics myself, I can vouch for the fact that it can also be an experience that brings into sharp focus the very best of humanity."
He also thanked healthcare workers who helped him amid his journey, adding, 'It has certainly given me an even deeper appreciation of the extraordinary work undertaken by the remarkable organisations and individuals gathered here this evening, many of whom I have known, visited and supported over the years.'
Prince William and Kate Middleton's Family Skips Royal Family's Easter Service
Prince William, Kate Middleton, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis did not attend the royal family's annual Easter service at St George's Chapel in Windsor April 20.
While King Charles III and Queen Camilla celebrated with the rest of the royal family, William and Kate decided to spend the weekend at their Norfolk country home with their kids, multiple outlets reported.
Their absence marked the second Easter they skipped, with the 2024 holiday taking place a week after the Princess of Wales announced her cancer diagnosis.
Royal Aide Who Accused Meghan Markle Of Bullying Receives a Promotion
Jason Knauf was announced as the new CEO of Prince William's organization, The Earthshot Prize, April 15. He shared a statement on the website that he was looking forward to 'working with our exceptional team and incredible Earthshot community to advance our mission of urgent optimism for our planet.'
His promotion came nearly seven years after he made a complaint against Meghan Markle, accusing her of bullying two personal assistants and seeking 'to undermine' a third staff member. A spokesperson for the Sussexes denied the allegations and told The Times that the rumors were part of a 'calculated smear campaign based on misleading and harmful misinformation.'
Buckingham Palace investigated the allegations and the case was wrapped up in 2022 without any findings made public.
Prince George Makes His First Public Appearance of 2025
William and Kate's eldest son George attended a soccer match in Paris alongside his dad April 7.
The father-son duo were all smiles at the UEFA Champions League Quarter Final game as the Paris Saint-Germain and Aston Villa FC faced off at the Parc des Princes stadium.
Former Bodyguard to Prince Harry and Prince William Dies
Graham Craker—who acted as a bodyguard for the royal family, including Prince Harry and Prince William—died at the age of 77 in April.
Craker was notably with the boys when they learned their mother, Princess Diana, had died and he participated in her funeral services.
On the latter, Craker told The New York Post in 2017, "I was standing at the rear of the hearse and William looked up and acknowledged me. I looked toward him and nodded. William was comforted that I was with his mum on her final journey.'
The Duke and Duchess of Westminster Expecting Their First Baby
Hugh Grosvenor, who is King Charles III's godson, and his wife Olivia Grosvenor announced March 12 that she is pregnant with their first baby.
'The duchess is expecting a baby in the summer,' a spokesperson told The Telegraph. 'The couple are delighted with the news and are very much looking forward to starting a family together.'
Luxembourg's Prince Fredrik Dies at 22
Prince Frederik—the son of Prince Robert and his wife Princess Julie—died March 1 at 22 years old after a battle with PolG mitochondrial disease, a rare genetic disorder.
"Frederik knows that he is my Superhero, as he is to all of our family, and to so very many good friends and now in great part thanks to his PolG Foundation, to so very many people the world over," Robert said in a statement. "Part of his superpower was his ability to inspire and to lead by example."
Prince Harry Reaches Settlement in U.K. Tabloids Lawsuit
The Duke of Sussex reached a settlement with News Group Newspapers—which is responsible for The Sun as well as the now defunct News of the World—on Jan. 22 after suing the organization in 2019 over alleged unlawful actions on the part of journalists and private investigators working for the newspapers to obtain information on the royal family.
The deal included the company paying "substantial damages," as well as issuing a "full and unequivocal apology" to Harry and public acknowledgement of "the extensive coverage and serious intrusion into his private life as well as the private life of Diana, Princess of Wales,' per NBC News.
Kate Middleton Is in Remission After Finishing Chemotherapy for Cancer
The Princess of Wales announced on Jan. 14 that she's in remission after complete cancer treatments.
"It is a relief to now be in remission and I remain focused on recovery," she wrote in a message on X, formerly Twitter, Jan. 14. "As anyone who has experienced a cancer diagnosis will know, it takes time to adjust to a new normal."
"I am however looking forward to a fulfilling year ahead," she continued. "There is much to look forward to."
Meghan Markle's Longtime Dog Guy Dies
The Duchess of Sussex mourned the death of her beloved rescue beagle, who she adopted in 2015 before meeting husband Prince Harry.
She wrote on Instagram Jan. 7, "I have cried too many tears to count - the type of tears that make you get in the shower with the absurd hope that the running water on your face will somehow make you not feel them, or pretend they're not there. But they are. And that's okay too."
"Thank you for so many years of unconditional love, my sweet Guy," Meghan added. "You filled my life in ways you'll never know."
Prince William Mourns Death of Former Nanny's Stepson
Edward "Ed" Pettifer—stepson of Prince William and Prince Harry's former nanny Alexandra Pettifer, also known as Tiggy Legge-Bourke—was one of the victims of the New Year's Day terrorist attack in New Orleans.
"Catherine and I have been shocked and saddened by the tragic death of Ed Pettifer," William said in a message posted on Kate Middleton's Instagram Stories Jan. 4. "Our thoughts and prayers remain with the Pettifer family and all those innocent people who have been tragically impacted by this horrific attack."
Meghan Markle Rejoins Instagram to Reveal New Netflix Show
The Suits alum—who shut down her personal social media accounts shortly before her 2018 wedding to Prince Harry—debuted a solo Instagram page on Jan. 1.
A day later, she announced a new Netflix series titled With Love, Meghan, which "reimagines the genre of lifestyle programming, blending practical how-to's and candid conversation with friends, new and old," according to a press release.
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