LONDON — The official coronation portrait of King Charles III was unveiled on Tuesday (May 6), two years after his coronation, continuing a royal tradition over four centuries old in which such artworks often become iconic representations of monarchs. The portrait features King Charles, 76, dressed in his Robe of State and standing beside the Imperial State Crown. A separate portrait of Queen Camilla has also been revealed. Both paintings will be exhibited at the National Gallery in London for a month before being permanently relocated to Buckingham Palace, according to a statement from the palace.

Despite undergoing cancer treatment following a diagnosis last year—roughly 10 months after his coronation—Charles participated in sittings for the portrait. The artworks were commissioned by the king and queen soon after their coronation at Westminster Abbey, with each choosing their own artist: Peter Kuhfeld painted the king, while Camilla selected Paul Benney.

Kuhfeld described his portrait as an attempt to blend regal formality with a human touch, set against the backdrop of the Throne Room in St James’s Palace. Meanwhile, Queen Camilla’s portrait shows her in her ivory silk Coronation Dress and a different crown. Benney said he aimed to reflect both the historic weight of the occasion and the personal warmth and empathy of the queen. Traditionally, royal portraits served as symbols of authority. The oldest example in the royal collection dates back to 1620—a state portrait of King James I of England (also James VI of Scotland).