Royal watchers are buzzing over the latest photo of King Charles and Prince William.
Fans of the monarchy have taken to social media to shower the father-and-son pair with praise after their newest appearance together.
Royal fans gush over photo of King Charles and Prince William
Today, King Charles officially appointed his son, Prince William, as the new Great Master of the Order of the Bath — a prestigious royal role.
The appointment was marked by a ceremony at Westminster Abbey on Friday.
New photos of Charles and William have emerged from the event, including one particularly notable image. While Charles’ appearance in the photo has drawn praise, it also reflects a royal tradition — just as Queen Elizabeth II once passed the title to Charles, he has now handed it to William.
This moment also coincides with the 300th anniversary of the Order of the Bath’s establishment. Prince William now takes over the title that Charles held for nearly 50 years.
Prince William becomes Great Master of the Order of the Bath
Today, May 16, marked King Charles’s first appearance at the service as Sovereign of the Order. He was originally appointed Great Master by Queen Elizabeth II back in 1975.
Although Prince William has now taken on the role, Charles clearly took center stage at today’s ceremony.
This is considered the best photo of the King and Prince William to date.
Royal fans quickly took to social media, praising Charles’ “majestic” appearance.
At 76, the King’s presence certainly left a strong impression.
Both William and Charles were pictured inside the Abbey wearing the traditional ceremonial attire.
Royal fans react
One social media user wrote: “This is the best picture of the king and Prince William so far. The one we have been waiting for! Truly majestic.”
Another added, “I do hope we get a few more of them together. It is an excellent picture.”
Someone else drew a comparison to an old photo from the 1970s, when Queen Elizabeth II passed the title to Charles.
They shared: “Let’s pray for a portrait photo, like this one,” along with an image of a young Charles and the Queen, both smiling in matching ceremonial attire.
What is The Most Honourable Order of the Bath?
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath was established by King George I in 1725, reviving an old tradition of knighthood. Its name comes from a historical practice where knights would take a ceremonial bath as a form of purification before being honoured.
Today, the Order recognises top military leaders and senior civil servants, and it’s divided into three ranks: Knight or Dame Grand Cross (GCB), Knight or Dame Commander (KCB/DCB), and Companion (CB).
A formal service is held every four years.
Prince William’s future as king
This comes amid growing speculation about what the monarchy might look like under William’s reign.
With this shift, William is taking on even more duties.
Speaking to Harper’s Bazaar, royal commentator and author Tom Quinn shared his view that William and Kate will be a “much more emotionally engaged” king and queen.
He explained: “I think they want to be a king and queen who are seen to engage much more with ordinary people in a very relaxed way.”
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