When the first official King Charles III coronation portraits hit the wires, everyone had an opinion. You probably saw them. The internet was practically on fire. Some people loved the classic, stately vibe, while others were busy making memes about the lighting or the "slimmed-down" look of the royal family. But if you look past the shiny crowns and the heavy velvet, there is actually a lot of drama and deliberate strategy hidden in those frames.
Honestly, these photos aren't just for the history books. They're a PR masterclass.
The Photographer Who Almost Left His Camera at Home
Hugo Burnand is the guy behind the lens. He’s basically the royal family's favorite photographer at this point. He did Charles and Camilla’s wedding in 2005 and William and Kate’s in 2011. But get this: on the day of the coronation, he actually left his house without a camera.
Wait, what?
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Yeah, because the security at Buckingham Palace was so tight and the schedule so insane, all his gear had to be set up in the Throne Room days in advance. He told the press it felt "really weird" to show up to the biggest job of his life empty-handed. He had exactly one hour to get the shots. That includes the solo portraits, the couple shots, and that massive group photo with the working royals. One hour. If you've ever tried to get a family of four to look at the camera at the same time, you know that’s a nightmare. Now imagine doing it with a King wearing a 5-pound crown.
Bribing the Kids with Jelly Beans
You might think the palace is all stiff upper lips and formality, but Burnand is a realist. To get the younger royals—like Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis—to behave and look "regal," he resorted to the oldest trick in the book. Jelly beans. He’s been doing this for years. He used the same bribe at William’s wedding. It works. In the group shots, if you look closely at the kids, they look surprisingly chill. Now you know why.
The Symbolic Weight of the "Big Four" Portraits
There were four main images released in the initial set. Each one was designed to scream a different message to the public.
- The Solo King: This is the "power" shot. Charles is sitting in the 1902 Throne Chair, wearing the Imperial State Crown. He’s holding the Sovereign’s Orb and the Sceptre with Cross. It looks a lot like the portrait of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, taken by Cecil Beaton in 1953. That was 100% intentional. It’s meant to signal continuity. "I'm the King now, and the job remains the same."
- The New Queen: Camilla’s solo portrait was a bit softer. She’s wearing Queen Mary’s Crown, but the cool detail is her dress. It was designed by Bruce Oldfield and features gold-thread embroidery of her rescue dogs, Bluebell and Beth. It’s a tiny, human touch in a very expensive outfit.
- The "Slimmed Down" Monarchy: The group shot was the most controversial. Notice who isn't there? No Prince Harry. No Meghan Markle. No Prince Andrew. It was only the "working royals." It was a visual manifesto of Charles’s long-held plan to make the monarchy smaller and cheaper.
- The Couple: A more relaxed shot of Charles and Camilla together. It’s meant to show them as a team.
That Red Portrait: The Butterfly and the "Blood Bath"
We have to talk about the Jonathan Yeo portrait. Technically, it wasn't one of the immediate post-ceremony photos, but it's often lumped into the King Charles III coronation portraits discussion because it was the first official painted portrait released after he took the throne.
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It was... a choice.
The painting is massive, and it is very red. Like, "did the artist run out of other colors?" red. Some critics called it a "blood bath" or said it looked like the King was in hell. But Yeo, who had four sittings with Charles starting back when he was still the Prince of Wales, had a specific vision. He wanted to break away from the stiff, boring tradition of royal painting.
The most important part of that painting is the tiny butterfly hovering over Charles’s shoulder. That was the King’s idea. In art history, a butterfly usually symbolizes metamorphosis or rebirth. It represents his transition from the longest-serving Prince of Wales in history to the King. It also nods to his lifelong obsession with the environment.
What People Missed About the Lighting
In the photographic portraits by Burnand, the lighting was designed to look "painterly." They used Profoto lights and eight different setups to make the Throne Room feel like it was being hit by natural sunlight. The rooms in the palace have massive silk walls that "suck up" light, so they had to pump in a ton of artificial flash to make it look that soft. It’s a trick. It’s meant to feel like a Dutch Master painting, not a digital photo.
Why These Portraits Actually Matter (Beyond the Hype)
Historically, coronation portraits were how the public actually "saw" their ruler. Before TV and the internet, these images were copied and sent to every embassy and town hall in the empire. They were the "human face" of the state.
Even in 2026, the tradition continues. The UK government actually set aside £8 million to provide a copy of a Hugo Burnand portrait of the King to every public body in the country—schools, fire stations, courts. This caused a huge stir because, well, £8 million is a lot of money for a picture. But for the Palace, it’s about brand recognition. If the King’s face is on every wall, the institution feels permanent.
Limitations of the Image
The portraits don't tell the whole story. They don't show the 64 people arrested on coronation day or the lukewarm polling from younger generations. They are a curated version of reality. They represent the "Brand of Charles"—environmentally conscious, traditional but slightly updated, and focused on a smaller core team.
How to Spot the Fine Details Yourself
If you’re looking at these portraits and want to sound like an expert at your next dinner party, check these three things:
- The Crown Jewels: In the solo shot, the Imperial State Crown is the one he wears. It has nearly 3,000 stones. The "Black Prince's Ruby" is the big red one in the front.
- The Hands: Look at how the King holds the Sceptre. It’s a position of "good governance." It’s supposed to look heavy because, symbolically, it is.
- The Architecture: Burnand used a wide-angle lens for some shots specifically to show off the gold molding and architecture of the palace. It’s a "flex" of the royal family’s history and wealth.
If you want to see these in person, they usually end up on display at the National Gallery or as part of the Summer Opening of the State Rooms at Buckingham Palace.
Next Steps for You
If you're curious about the actual history behind the items in the photos, you should check out the Royal Collection Trust's online database. You can zoom in on the high-res versions of the King Charles III coronation portraits to see the tiny details, like the rescue dogs on Camilla’s dress or the specific medals on Charles’s uniform. It's a lot more interesting than just looking at the thumbnails on a news site.