Decked out in a classic tweed suit and skirt, Princess Anne was on hand to unveil a special new portrait of her brother, King Charles, that will be displayed at the Scottish Parliament. The new picture shows the His Majesty in the Sunken Garden in the grounds of Balmoral Castle.
It was taken back in 2024 by Millie Pilkington, a photographer who has often been chosen by the royals to commemorate important milestones. She’s previously taken an anniversary portrait of King Charles and Queen Camilla, released in 2024, as well as wedding portraits of the Prince and Princess of Wales and a touching photo of Prince William with his three children for Father’s Day in 2024.
The kilt His Majesty is wearing in the picture is King Charles III tartan and he holds a handcrafted stick, a gift from the Mey Highland Games. But there’s another detail that caught fans’ attention pretty quickly.
After the Princess Royal officially unveiled the portrait, people took to social media to speculate that King Charles might have made a massive change to his personal style. While not confirmed, it’s been theorised that the King appears to not be wearing the Prince of Wales signet ring on his pinky finger like he has done for decades.
This signet is believed to have been passed down to him by his uncle, Prince Edward, the Duke of Windsor, who was at one time the Prince of Wales too. Edward ascended the throne and then famously abdicated in 1936 before marrying Wallis Simpson.
Some commenters online have suggested that the King’s new signet ring has swapped the Prince of Wales emblem for one that looks similar to a ring worn by his late father, Prince Philip.
(Image credit: Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images)
“We might never know for sure whether King Charles has swapped out his Prince of Wales pinky ring for another one – or at least not until a close-up photo gives us a better glimpse of the details,” says woman&home’s Royal Editor, Emma Shacklock. “However, if he has changed up his ring, it would make sense given he’s no longer Prince of Wales. Ultimately, it wouldn’t really matter either way, but he’s passed the mantel to Prince William and this could reflect it.”
Touchingly, King Charles’s portrait now sits alongside the Three Honours sculpture presented to the Parliament by the late Queen Elizabeth II. Her Majesty gifted the sculptures to the Parliament when the building opened in 2004.
“It was a pleasure to welcome Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal to the Scottish Parliament, to unveil this portrait of His Majesty The King,” Alison Johnstone, the presiding officer of the Scottish Parliament, said of the portrait’s unveiling.
(Image credit: Photo by Andrew Milligan – WPA Pool/Getty Images)
“The portrait will hang in the Parliament’s Main Hall, greeting the many thousands of visitors who come through our doors every year. It’s a striking image which is a reminder of His Majesty’s love of Scotland and the affectionate connection he has with the country and its people,” she added.
King Charles’s love of Scotland has long been known, with he and Queen Camilla even choosing to spend their honeymoon at Birkhall, their home on the Balmoral Estate.
