King Charles Image in traditional Highland dress has taken on new symbolism after a portrait of the monarch was revealed in the Scottish parliament this week.
The portrait caught by photographer Millie Pilkington in the sunken garden on Balmoral Castle last fall, the king shows the king Charles III Tartan and holds a handmade stick gifted by the Mey Highland Games.
The painting was revealed by Princess Anne, who smiled as she pulled the deck away.
The picture hangs next to a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, which Anne also revealed in 2011.
Royal supporters praised Charles’ embrace of Scottish tradition and noticed his long history of donating kilts on official engagements.
But the reveal has again drawn attention to William, the prince of Wales, who, despite having had several Scottish titles, has consistently chosen conventional suits over Highland dresses.
Kilt, as many have been seen as a powerful symbol of Scottish heritage and royal connection to the highlands, now takes extra weight with the king’s similarity immortalized in it.
Whether his heir will ever follow after remains an open question.
