Today is King Charles’s 77th birthday. Buckingham Palace released a new portrait of Charles at Sandringham. It’s a nice photo – usually Charles is dressed to the nines, so it’s great to see him in a barn jacket and no tie. Does he look tired and thin? Sure. But he clearly wants to get the most out of being king while he can. He’s not even taking a holiday for his birthday – Charles and Camilla are in South Wales today for a visit to Cyfarthfa Castle in Merthyr Tydfil. Sounds like the kind of thing which should have been on the current Prince of Wales’s schedule. Alas, Prince William is deeply committed to having more time off than his 77-year-old father with terminal cancer.
Speaking of, the way Prince William briefs against his father these days, William clearly believes that Charles is not long for this world. You’d think that William or someone in his office would take pains to emphasize that father and son have grown closer now because of that. Nope – all William does is run around and brief everyone that he’s already in charge. Kensington Palace didn’t even bother posting a sweet photo of Charles and William together – they just retweeted Buckingham Palace’s portrait with a birthday message.
My guess is that there will be some stories this weekend about whether Charles spoke to Prince Harry on his birthday, and “how does Charles feel about” this or that involving his sons.
Happy Birthday to His Majesty The King! 🎂 https://t.co/k80wQ7u8Rb
— The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) November 14, 2025
Photos courtesy of Cover Images, Avalon Red, Buckingham Palace’s social media.
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- Their Majesties King Charles and Queen Camilla joining veterans, members of VJ associations, military personnel and senior politicians for a national Service of Remembrance, hosted by the Royal British Legion with government, to remember 80 years since VJ Day marked the end of the Second World War National Memorial Arboretum, Staffordshire.,Image: 1029570530, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Paul Edwards/Avalon
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- Pope Leo XIV and Queen Camilla exit the Apostolic Palace, and in the San Damaso Courtyard will bid farewell to the Regent of the Prefecture of the Papal Household, Reverend Monsignor Leonardo Sapienza; the Vatican City Head of Protocol, Monsignor Javier Domingo Fernandez Gonzalez and Deputy Head of Protocol, Monsignor Lins. Their Majesties will stand as the British and Vatican national anthems play, before departing in the State Bentley. Vatican City 23 Oct 2025,Image: 1047628013, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Maria Laura Antonelli/AGF Foto/Avalon
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- ITALY – POPE LEO XIV BRITAIN S QUEEN CAMILLA AND BRITAINPS KING CHARLES III ARRIVE AT SAN DAMASO COURTYARD UPON A MEETING WITH POPE LEO XIV IN THE VATICAN – 2025/10/23 Italy, Rome, Vatican, 2025/10/23 Britain s Queen Camilla and Britain s King Charles III arrive at San Damaso courtyard upon a meeting with Pope Leo XIV in the Vatican EDITORIAL USE ONLY – NO BOOKS Copyright: xALESSIAxGIULIANIx,Image: 1047646054, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: imago is entitled to issue a simple usage license at the time of provision. Personality and trademark rights as well as copyright laws regarding art-works shown must be observed. Commercial use at your own risk., Model Release: no, Credit line: IMAGO/ALESSIA GIULIANI/Avalon
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- Britain’s King Charles gestures as he arrives at the Royal Albert Hall for the Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance, an annual event honouring military service members, which holds special significance in 2025 as it marks the 80th anniversary of the end of World War Two, at the Royal Albert Hall in London, Britain, November 8, 2025.,Image: 1051236303, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Jack Taylor/Avalon
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- Britain’s King Charles and Queen Camilla attend the Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance, an annual event honouring military service members, which holds special significance in 2025 as it marks the 80th anniversary of the end of World War Two, at the Royal Albert Hall in London, Britain, November 8, 2025.,Image: 1051236619, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Jack Taylor/Avalon
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- LONDON, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 09: King Charles III during the 2025 National Service Of Remembrance at The Cenotaph on November 09, 2025 in London, England. Every year, members of the British Royal Family join politicians, veterans and members of the public to remember those who have died in combat.,Image: 1051392253, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Chris Jackson/Avalon
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- King Charles III during a visit to the National Memorial Arboretum in Alrewas, Staffordshire, for the dedication ceremony of the LGBT+ Armed Forces memorial, the UK’s first national memorial commemorating LGBT+ people who have served and continue to serve in the military. Featuring: King Charles III Where: Alrewas, United Kingdom When: 27 Oct 2025 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- Annual Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall Featuring: King Charles III Where: London, United Kingdom When: 08 Nov 2025 Credit: Jack Taylor/PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
Nothing is better than the Red King Portrait. He should commission a different color for each birthday.
^this!^ Though no color could quite live up to the tomato-soup red.
Haha yes! I was just about to say why no fire in this one Chuck?
Yes he looks thin but it seems he does enjoy being outside.
He does enjoy being outside and he does seem to like and find purpose in the job of being king. Pity about the rest.
It was the best comment I could make being it’s his birthday and all lol. I went with a very blah comment.
Why does no one call out William for his blatant disrespect to his cancer stricken dad even on his birthday? He makes no effort to “play nice or even pretend to be dad’s liege man”? Will carries on his merry way, arm in arm with greasy Jason, openly briefing about his own future reign. He can’t share the limelight with anyone, not even he dad who is King?
Bc a lot of royal reporters want to stay in the loop once William is king so they’re not gonna call it out. They don’t wana get banned from the WhatsApp group, lol. Some do touch on it but very very lightly and not extensively considering how much William is doing this.
I honestly don’t understand how having access to William as King is even an appeal anymore. They’re ridiculously secretive now when they do have some sort of hierarchy threat over them, when he has the keys to the kingdom literally? All they’re going to get is the opportunity to write nonsense stories, and beg for crumbs of attention from someone who doesn’t garner that much attention worldwide anyway himself. I’d be looking for a new job more so than trying to curry favor.
What good is access if you can’t print/write what you know? that’s what I don’t get. They’re not getting banned from anything earth-shattering. oh no, you’re not allowed to cover William’s trip to the local whatever where he may say something stupid or inappropriate but even then you won’t be allowed to report on it (as Richard Palmer and Rhiannon Mills can attest.)
I think William and Charles are deeply at odds about the future of the monarchy and may not even be on speaking terms at this point. It’s clear William wants to massively scale back the pomp and circumstance and Charles literally can’t comprehend why.
I love his walking/ wax jacket. How come we never get the id on Charles’ clothes. I’m curious, he really rewears his outerwear
He’s long worn Barbour waxed jackets. This could be one. I don’t know enough to say but he’d likely stick to the brand he’s worn for decades.
Interesting that he’s photographed with a walking stick, when QEII wasn’t photographed with any mobility aids.
Maybe the fact that it’s not a cane per se made it more palatable.
He’s also been seen with them before, sometimes I think just as a style statement , so its not as obvious a cane as it would have been with QEIIl.
Yes, it’s kind of a style statement associated with the countryside, like the barn jacket. But walking sticks can also be like a hiking stick to help over uneven ground.
Useful for beating back brambles or nettles, not that I can imagine any of those at Sandringham.
It’s not a true walking stick. If you look at the length of it, it’s too long. A walking stick should allow the user to put weight on it so it’s usually hip height.
MY palace source* told me that Charles called Harry before Kris Jenner’s birthday party to ask Harry to pass along birthday wishes.
*My palace source is made up. Like most, if not all, palace sources
KP didn’t even try to pretend the birthday message was from W & C? Or was it not possible as they were on holiday, again, or out doing the school run?
That’s what I notice, no original message and just some staffer retweeting the BP. Pretty much on brand for the amount of effort they put into anything.
All I’ll say is this:
Charles 💯 percent has the relationship with his sons that he deserves. That is what he built. That is his proper legacy.
Charles failed them both in hundreds of ways their entire lives.
Diana was their only actual loving parent.
Diana was a real one.
Charles could have had a loving family but he never learned what love is. So he blew it all up to chase after a gin-soaked chain smoker who also possessed the moral compass of a fidget spinner.
This is how he will be remembered. This is the 💩 shack of a palace that Charles built. This is his enduring legacy, worse by far than even Edward VIII’s (coerced) abdication. Edward’s abdication didn’t end the monarchy, but Charles ‘ inability to be there for others who depended on him has completely destroyed the institution.
i agree with you generally, but its also part of his mother’s legacy. Why doesn’t Charles know what love is? Why doesn’t he know how a good father should act? Why doesn’t he seem to be able to interact with his children in a human way? It goes back to how HE was raised which is on his mother and father.
I read a long time ago that when Elizabeth returned from a long trip by ship she greeted a bunch of people on the dock before acknowledging her children.
@cosmo you don’t have to read it! There’s video! Its cold as hell.
ITA. Charles saw producing an heir and a spare as his duty, but never felt it was his responsibility to actually raise them.
His parents didn’t raise him and it never occurred to him to challenge that approach.
@SarahCS: I agree. And they’re asking us to believe William (& Kate) have changed that approach, what with all their ‘can’t work, gotta do the school run’ BS.
I think it’s a good portrait. I don’t recognize the building he’s in front of, though. Which of his many palaces & country piles is that one?
@BeanieBean
I believe that is Sandringham House, probably not far from where his younger brother is still complaining to his teddybears about his exile.
Charles has a dysfunctional lazy heir and treats his younger son horribly. He was a bad father to both of his sons.
What amazes me is that while he blew up his life for Camilla, he didn’t learn from her example. By all accounts she’s close to her kids and grandkids. Spends her weekends at Ray Mill with them. He could have copied that with his own kids and grandkids, but chose not to.
And Anne, Edward and even Andrew were raised by the same parents as Charles, but by all accounts have strong relationships with their kids. What went wrong with Charles?
Men tend to love the children they have by a woman, as long as they love the woman.
I know it’s frowned upon, but I have developed a soft spot for Charles in recent years as he has become old and vulnerable. Hopefully illness and time have changed his perspective somewhat. He takes his duties seriously. I guess compared to William anyone would look good.
I hope Wilbur isn’t going to rage if Harry has sent their father a card and gift for his birthday? Harry will have phoned and maybe the grandkids made grandad a card and Meghan made him a gift package. All of that would be enough to send Wilbur orbital!!
So he gets a new portrait every year?
It’s interesting that on his birthday, the king is in Wales, but the current Prince of Wales is nowhere in sight. Although Charles was Prince of Wales for so long, I’m sure many people still think of him as that, just as the Queen was so long, a lot of us still think Elizabeth when someone says Queen. Charles has complained loud and long about the poor parenting of Philip and Elizabeth through his authorized biographies and mouth pieces. He is completely self-centred however, so it has not occurred to him to try to be a better parent. He wants his sons to not make his final years a ‘misery’ so he has probably resented Diana for dying and inflicting criticism on him of his treatment of the mother of his children.