King Charles’ Official Coronation Portrait Unveiled

Being a member of the British royal family comes with many long-held traditions. Being the head of the British royal family comes with one very special tradition.

On Tuesday, May 6—exactly two years after his coronation ceremony—King Charles and his wife, Queen Camilla, were on hand in the Central Hall at The National Gallery in London to personally unveil the long-awaited portraits. And both seemed to be in great spirits.

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“The portraits, which will form part of the Royal Collection, were painted by two different artists personally selected by Their Majesties,” according to The Royal Family website. 

While Queen Camilla selected Paul S. Benney as her artist, King Charles chose to be painted by Peter Kuhfeld, who he has worked with for decades. When Princes William and Harry were children, Charles commissioned Kuhfeld to paint them; he has also tagged along on several of Charles’ foreign tours as his official “Tour Artist.”

The coronation portrait is a tradition that dates back more than 400 years, beginning with a State Portrait of James VI and I, which is estimated to have been painted around 1620. It, too, is part of the Royal Collection, and currently hangs in Windsor Castle—which is also home to Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation portrait, which was painted by Sir Herbert James Gunn in 1953. 

King Charles and Queen Camilla’s portraits will remain on view in The National Gallery’s Central Room through Thursday, June 5, at which time they will be moved to their permanent home in the Throne Room at Buckingham Palace. The portraits can be viewed at the Palace during the annual Summer Opening of the State Rooms, which runs from July 10 through September 28, 2025.