Almost three months on since King Charles bravely revealed he was battling cancer, Buckingham Palace has released a “positive” statement about his treatment progress, as it revealed the monarch is now able to return to some public facing duties amid his ongoing care. The statement, which was released on Friday April 26 read: “His Majesty The King will shortly return to public-facing duties after a period of treatment and recuperation following his recent cancer diagnosis.
“To help mark this milestone, The King and Queen will make a joint visit to a cancer treatment centre next Tuesday, where they will meet medical specialists and patients. This visit will be the first in a number of external engagements His Majesty will undertake in the weeks ahead.
“In addition, The King and Queen will host Their Majesties The Emperor and Empress of Japan for a State Visit in June, at the request of HM Government."
It then concluded: “As the first anniversary of The Coronation approaches, Their Majesties remain deeply grateful for the many kindnesses and good wishes they have received from around the world throughout the joys and challenges of the past year.”
Alongside the update on Charles’ condition, the Palace also releasing a stunning photo of the King and his wife, Queen Camilla wearing an indigo day dress with velvet detail by designer Fiona Clare. In the image, both royals appeared to be in high spirits as they smiled and walked arm in arm, with a clear warmth and palpable affection conveyed in the photo.
The image itself was taken by renowned photographer Millie Pilkington, a favourite of the royal family, due to her impressive skill at capturing authentic and candid moments that carry both an aesthetic charm and convey the emotion of the scene.
Here, we take a closer look at everything you need to know about the photographer’s impressive career…
Millie Pilkington is a professional photographer based near Sherborne in Dorset, who has captivated countless fans around the world with her stunning portrait photography. Easily one of the UK’s most respected and accomplished portrait photographers, Millie actually specialises in taking photos of families and children, and has even snapped the royal children on multiple occasions in the past.
Although much of her photography is completed on a private commission basis, such as for private wedding photographs of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, the images that have made it into the public domain have captivated viewers with their insightful use of natural light and stunning composition.
When it comes to photographing the royals in particular, Millie regularly updates her website with insightful comments about each image and how she composed it, such as Prince William’s iconic 2023 Father’s Day image.
Posting on her site, Millie wrote: “I love how this portrait captures the love the children have for their father Prince William. With Prince Louis hugging his father’s neck in true joy, whilst Princess Charlotte and Prince George, with their hands on Prince William’s knees, and laughing adoringly up at him, you can see the adoration they have for their father, and the fun they have with him.”
She also previously revealed how she had been “feeling truly blessed” after being asked by Kate Middleton to photograph Princess Charlotte for her 8th birthday last year.
In addition to the Royal Family, Millie has also photographed several other huge stars over the years as part of her editorial work, which celebrities such as Judi Dench, Alison Steadman, Paul O’Grady and Clare Balding just a few of the recognisable names among her past subjects.
In addition to her portrait work, Millie also occasionally takes on fashion photography projects, a subject close to her heart as it builds upon the experience she earned prior to starting her photography business in 2001, when she worked as an account director for a global marketing agency for around a decade.
Millie has even turned her hand to publishing too, having released Great Faces of Dorset, a coffee table book of photographic portraits of her home county’s great and good back in November 2014. The book proved to be so popular it sold out within 3 months!
A further book followed in 2017, this time entitled the Great Faces of Somerset.
To find out more about Millie Pilkington's work, visit: https://milliepilkington.co.uk/
