King and Queen unveil stunning coronation portraits at National Gallery

On May 6, 2025, King Charles III and Queen Camilla unveiled their official state portraits at the National Gallery located in London, marking the second anniversary of their coronation. The paintings, featuring both royal figures in ceremonial attire, depict the King in a naval uniform complemented by the Robe of State and the Imperial State Crown and the Queen adorned in her coronation dress along with her crown and Robe of Estate. The artist responsible for King Charles' portrait, Peter Kuhfeld, noted that the creation took over a year and a half, with five sittings involving the King, who actively contributed to the process, reflecting both regal and human qualities in the artwork. Similarly, Queen Camilla's portrait was crafted by Paul S. Benney, who spent nearly a year at Clarence House to produce an intimate representation of the Queen, highlighting the crown known as Queen Mary's Crown as the focal point. Both artists emphasized the importance of creating portraits that balance the grandeur of royal imagery with the personal character of their subjects. Following the unveiling, the portraits will be displayed at the National Gallery for one month before moving to their permanent location at Buckingham Palace's Throne Room. The unveiling of these portraits comes almost a year after a prior, albeit divisive, portrait of King Charles was revealed, which sparked a variety of reactions from the public due to its modern aesthetics and bold color scheme.