Buckingham Palace has unveiled a striking new photograph of King Charles III, captured just months prior to his cancer diagnosis.
The 75-year-old monarch, who is currently being treated for the disease, is seen smiling in the regal image, released to mark Armed Forces Day in the United Kingdom.
The portrait was taken by society photographer Hugo Burnard last November, less than three months before Charles announced he had cancer.
“It is a mix of formality and informality, which draws you in,” Burnard told The Telegraph of his photograph. “The King wears his medals with pride but they are not the main feature of the picture.”
The image shows Charles sporting a wry smile as he wears his Field Marshal No1 full ceremonial frock coat, complete with medals, swords and decorations.
Royal watchers were delighted by the release of the photograph, which was shared on the monarch’s official Instagram page, garnering more than 200,000 likes in little more than 12 hours.
“Very nice picture. I like the composition and colors in this portrait,” one impressed viewer wrote.
“This portrait is 100% better than the red blob,” another declared. “That one is an embarrassment to be English. “
The “red blob” referenced in that comment refers to a polarizing portrait of the monarch painted by the artist Jonathan Yeo, which shows a ghostly looking Charles in front of a red backdrop.
The artwork was unveiled last month in London and quickly divided opinion, with some detractors saying it looked like the Charles was “burning in hell.”
Both the new photograph and the controversial painting have been unveiled in the midst of the king’s cancer battle.
News of Charles’ cancer diagnosis came to light after he underwent a procedure for an enlarged prostate. There, doctors discovered “a separate issue of concern” that requires treatment.
Buckingham Palace later clarified that the cancer was not prostate cancer.
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