The British royals brought in the new decade by releasing a rare portrait of 93-year-old Queen Elizabeth II and her three heirs; Prince Charles (71), Prince Williams (37), and Prince George (6).
The portrait was revealed by the royal family on its Instagram page. The statement accompanying the portrait read: "To mark the start of a new decade, a portrait has been released of Her Majesty The Queen and Their Royal Highnesses The Prince of Wales, The Duke of Cambridge and Prince George. The portrait was taken by Ranald Mackechnie in the Throne Room at Buckingham Palace."
Portrait picture taken during December
The picture of the British Monarch and three future kings taken in the Throne Room of the Buckingham Palace, is believed to be clicked during the Queen's annual Christmas luncheon on December 18, last year.
It is the second official portrait featuring the Queen and the next three in line to the throne after the first one was released in April 2016, on the occasion of Monarch's 90th birthday. In the newly released portrait, Queen Elizabeth II leads the pack dressed in white dress accessorised with a blue brooch and a Launer handbag. Prince Charles is seen wearing a navy pinstripe suit while his son Prince William dons a dark suit paired with a navy-blue tie.
Six-year-old Prince George, who had to stand on a box in the last portrait, could be seen standing tall in British designer Rachel Riley's white shirt with blue piping paired with black Watch tartan long trousers, with his grandfather's hand on his shoulder. The family poses on steps in the Throne Room. The 2016 portrait was printed on the commemorative stamps to mark the 90th birthday of the British monarch.
Royals had a bumpy 2019
The portrait presented a solid image of the British royal, especially after the Queen's remark about having a 'bumpy year' during her Christmas speech, last year. It is believed that following a slew of scandals that hit the royals this year, including the infamous Prince Andrew sex-scandal issue, Prince Charles, the next in line heir to the throne, wishes to reduce the number of working royals in the family.
The rumours of feud between Prince William and brother Prince Harry and the latter's absence from annual Christmas celebrations of the family, also brought negative publicity for the royals.
