Photo Credit: The Scottish Parliament
Portrait of His Majesty The King goes on display in the Scottish Parliament
26 September 2025
A photographic portrait of His Majesty The King has gone on public display at the Scottish Parliament after being unveiled by Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal.
The Presiding Officer accompanied The Princess Royal to unveil the portrait, which is a photograph of His Majesty in the Sunken Garden in the grounds of Balmoral Castle. His Majesty is dressed in King Charles III tartan and is pictured with a handcrafted stick, which was a gift from the Mey Highland Games.
The image was taken in 2024 by photographer Millie Pilkington ahead of His Majesty The King’s participation in events to mark the Parliament’s 25th anniversary.
The Presiding Officer, the Rt Hon Alison Johnstone MSP said:
“It was a pleasure to welcome Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal to the Scottish Parliament, to unveil this portrait of His Majesty The King.
“The portrait will hang in the Parliament’s Main Hall, greeting the many thousands of visitors who come through our doors every year.
“It’s a striking image which is a reminder of His Majesty’s love of Scotland and the affectionate connection he has with the country and its people.”
The portrait of His Majesty will sit alongside the Three Honours sculpture, designed and crafted by leading Scottish silversmith Graham Stewart. The sculpture was presented to the Parliament as a gift from the late Queen when the building opened in 2004. The Princess Royal unveiled a portrait of the late Queen in 2011, an image taken by photographer Shaun Murawski, which also hangs in the Parliament’s Main Hall.
Millie Pilkington, photographer, said of the image:
“It was an immense honour to be asked to take an official portrait of His Majesty in Scotland. Using the breathtaking backdrop of Balmoral gardens and the Highlands enabled me to reflect The King’s warmth and deep connection to nature and Scotland.”
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