As the monarch celebrates his 77th birthday, a new photo has been released by the Palace to honour another year of his life and service to the Firm
King Charles is celebrating his 77th birthday today, with a new photo released to commemorate the special day. A new portrait of the King has been shared on the royal family’s official social media accounts, showing Charles III dressed smartly in a cream coat, pale blue shirt and tan trousers as he posed for the picture on the Sandringham Estate.
The caption, which was accompanied by a red balloon, read: “77 today! Thank you for the kind words and well wishes on His Majesty’s Birthday,” while crediting photographer Millie Pilkington. Since ascending the throne, King Charles has celebrated his birthday twice a year, in keeping with a centuries-old tradition.
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While Charles’ official birthday is today, his birthday is marked on the second Saturday in June with the Trooping the Colour celebrations, which is a royal tradition dating back to King George II in 1748.
Instead of hosting a large royal gathering like in other celebrations, the King will spend part of his birthday in South Wales, where he and Queen Camilla are set to carry out official engagements.
Charles’ trip represents his enduring focus on connecting with communities across the United Kingdom, a gesture royal aides describe as “deeply symbolic” of his long-standing commitment to local concerns.
As well as Charles’ birthday being marked quietly by the royal family, following traditional royal birthday procedures, the King’s birthday will be marked by gun salutes in London and across other places in the UK, as well as the ringing of bells at Westminster Abbey.
Despite turning 77 and still receiving treatment for cancer, the monarch has been sticking to his schedule of royal visits around the UK as well as hosting guests for special receptions at Windsor Castle and attending to his state duties.
His birthday comes as scandal continues to engulf his younger brother Andrew , who he recently stripped of his prince and Duke of York titles, and forced him out of his Windsor mansion of Royal Lodge. Charles’s decision to banish Andrew from the monarchy and remove his birthright to be a prince followed growing controversy over his links to paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein .
Andrew has tainted the Royal Family with his association with Epstein and for many years was dogged by allegations he sexually abused Virginia Giuffre after she was trafficked by the financier. He has strenuously denied the allegations.
Charles demanded the most drastic and unprecedented action to take away his brother’s trappings of royal life after the King faced a heckler last month demanding to know what he knew about Andrew and Epstein.
Amid his diary of engagements, fitting in his cancer treatment, and the recent drama surrounding his younger brother’s indiscretions, Palace officials have previously spoken of the joy the King takes from duty and service and by being in public and seeing the crowds.
And on recent outings, Charles has even joked about his advancing years. As he comforted a cancer patient while opening a new hospital in the West Midlands in September, he quipped “the terrible thing, as I’m discovering already, bits don’t work so well do they once you get past 70”.
