Buckingham Palace has unveiled a brand new royal portrait. The image comes to us as the first of its kind with this particular family line-up; King Charles, Queen Consort Camilla, Prince William and Princess Kate of Wales all pose together with beaming smiles, united as a family unit.
As shown below, the portrait of the four was taken at Buckingham Palace, the Royal residence in London and is overlooked by a wall-mounted painting of the late King George III. Both our new monarch, Charles and his son, William wear black-tied suits while Camilla and Kate also don all-black ensembles, wearing long-sleeved dresses and heeled pumps.
The new image was shared to both The Royal Family's Twitter and Instagram social media accounts with a caption that reads: "Their Majesties The King and The Queen Consort with Their Royal Highnesses The Prince and Princess of Wales. Taken at Buckingham Palace on 18th September by @chrisjacksongetty".
Explaining the foursome's mourning attire, as stated, the image was taken just 10 days after Queen Elizabeth II passed, which also happened to be the eve of Her Majesty’s state funeral. The family posed together for the snap ahead of the reception held for heads of state and overseas guests.
The high-powered guest list of royals, prime ministers and presidents from around the world came together in what the King’s spokesman described as an 'official state event'. US president Joe Biden and his wife, First Lady Jill Biden, were amongst the hundreds of people in the palace's main staterooms.
This image celebrates the start of a new royal era and displays the succession to the throne with these four in particular. The sequence that is regulated through descent marks William as the King's heir with Kate being next in line as Queen Consort.
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Lia Mappoura (she/her) is the Beauty Writer at Cosmopolitan UK, with over four years of experience reporting across the brand's print, social, video and digital platforms. Lia covers everything from emerging trend analysis to viral celebrity hair and makeup moments, making her an expert at spotting the season’s next big beauty look (before it takes over social media feeds).
In 2025, she was named The Rising Media Star at the Love Perfume Awards with The Perfume Shop, recognised for her outstanding digital fragrance content and for building genuine authority within the space. She is passionate about challenging outdated beauty stereotypes, championing inclusive representation in beauty, and educating readers on the trends, products and conversations shaping the industry today. Follow her on Instagram or find her on LinkedIn.
