As the monarch celebrates his 77th birthday, he has travelled to Wales to meet homegrown stars from the worlds of art, heritage and culture – and of course, cut a slice of birthday cake
As King Charles celebrates his 77th birthday today, the monarch has travelled to South Wales for a day of royal engagements, proving his duty to the Firm is always at the forefront of his mind.
Charles began the day by officially opening the South Wales Metro Depot in Taff’s Well, the home of the South Wales Metro Project. The monarch was then joined by Queen Camilla as the pair headed to Cyfarthfa Castle near Merthyr Tydfil, where Charles’ birthday was marked by a special reception.
The trip to Cyfarthfa Castle, which was built as the residence of ironmaster William Crawshay II, commemorates its 200th anniversary.
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After the King and Queen arrived at the castle, Charles was presented with a huge birthday cake in the shape of the iconic Welsh castle which featured his royal cypher, as the attendees sang him a happy birthday before he cut a slice of the extravagant cake.
Gavin & Stacey actress Ruth Jones, TikTok creator Lewis Leigh, fashion designer Julien Macdonald and representatives from the Laura Ashley Foundation were among the guests present for the reception.
Representatives from the couple’s patronages, including The King’s Trust and the Royal Osteoporosis Society, and local businesses including Cocos Coffee and Candles, and Enaid Wellness, were also there to mark the King’s birthday.
Charles’ birthday was marked earlier today by the Palace as they released new portraits of the King, honouring another year of his life. The new portrait of the King has been shared on the royal family ’s official social media accounts, showing Charles dressed smartly in a coat 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.
As well as Charles’ birthday being marked quietly by the royal family, following traditional royal birthdays 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.
Charles’ birthday engagements today show that monarch shows no signs of slowing down his royal duties, as former BBC royal expert Jennie Bond told the Mirror : “I’m not surprised to see the King racing around the country, carrying out as many engagements as he can fit in – despite his long-suffering wife’s appeals to take things a little more slowly because of his cancer.”
Jennie went on to explain how Charles may be filling his calendar with uplifting engagements in an attempt to salvage the reputation of the royal family, given the recent turbulence caused by Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, and the ongoing difficulties with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
The royal expert said: “Sometimes he must feel as if he’s swimming against the tide as the damaging stories about Andrew, and the ongoing problems with Harry and Meghan, continue to make headlines, tarnishing the reputation of the wider royal family.
“But I’m sure he believes that if he just carries on fulfilling as many engagements as possible and being seen to care deeply about this country and its people, which he does, he can salvage that reputation.”
