The first official image of King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla was viewed with fondness and excitement worldwide.
Affection because Charles has seldom appeared so relaxed in a formal image, and interest because with William and Kate, the new Prince and Princess of Wales, by his side, we get a peek of the monarchy’s present and future.
Observers will look for signs about everything from its composition and context to what it reveals about the Royal Family and, more importantly, the institution they represent’s long-term security.
Of course, the image is rife with symbolism: the new monarch is shown with his son and heir, but looming behind them is a gloomy painting of King George III, the longest-reigning male monarch in British history.
What’s more, the photograph was shot on the eve of the Queen’s burial, when our four most senior royals were due to hold a large banquet for visiting Heads of State, including US President Joe Biden, at Buckingham Palace.
The message was plain if one was needed: monarchy never sleeps, even at times of immense personal tragedy, and its eternal strength resides in its continuity.
It is, however, a reminder that the royals are constantly on duty – even when they have to muster every ounce of self-control, as they did during the public mourning for the Queen, who was also a mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother to them.
According to palace officials, the photograph was shot to commemorate a “historic moment” for the family. But there was more on exhibit here than simply history.
All four have unusually calm body language. It conveys warmth and acceptance. The taller William and Kate may physically dominate, but the attention is pulled to the new King, who is moving closer to the camera and exuding confidence.
For the first time, the cuff-tugging gestures and general restlessness seen in a plethora of ceremonial photos are gone.
One hand rests comfortably behind Camilla’s back while the other is casually thrust into his jacket pocket.
But the glimmer of a smile on his face says it all. It’s the expression of a man who isn’t scared of what’s ahead but rather energized by it.
There is another important element here as well. And it’s a not-so-subtle allusion to his desire for a more streamlined monarchy, one that he feels would be more relevant and robust. Some may question whether this isn’t just slimming down but cutting to the bone. The silent elephant in the room is the King’s younger son’s absence.
Three years ago, Prince Harry and his wife Meghan would have expected to be a member of this family group.
A similar image was released only four years ago to commemorate the then-Prince of Wales’s 70th birthday.
However, the oneness and happiness that emanated from that image dissipated within months.
So it’s easy to imagine how this image would be received in sunny California, where the Duke and Duchess of Sussex reside. Will it exacerbate their sentiments of isolation and exile, or will it just remind them why they chose to leave the family first?
It’s no coincidence that the photo was shot when the couple was still in Britain, only a few days before they returned to their children Archie and Lilibet. As a result, it must be another indication that they will never again play a significant part in royal life.
One of the reasons they opted to leave in the first place was that they did not want to share the spotlight.
This portrait has a sense of finality about it, as if there is no turning back for a couple who might have been at the epicenter of the monarchy but are now on the outside.
Is it the dagger to their hearts that it was when Prince Andrew was initially barred from the Palace balcony? It certainly appears to be the case.
When the Queen delivered her Christmas address to the country, she frequently handpicked the images around her. She did so in 2019, with portraits of her father and Charles and William and Prince George on her desk. It claimed to represent monarchy in its past, present, and future. Harry’s omission was claimed to have led to his departure from the family just a few weeks later.
Rather than using pictures, King Charles appropriated the art on the walls of his new palace residence for this image, which he meticulously picked. Choosing a king who reigned for 60 years as the backdrop was another homage to the permanency – and preservation – of the monarchy.
It’s a lesson Prince Harry would be well to learn because every royal photograph conveys a narrative.