It showed the foursome in their finery following the Thistle Service at St Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh.
Charles, 75, Camilla, 76, Prince William, 42, and Prince Edward, 60, were pictured wearing the green Mantle of the Order of the Thistle velvet robes, white-plumed hats, and glistening insignia including the Thistle Stars for the ceremony.
While many royal watchers agreed it was a "beautiful" photograph, for others, the portrait provoked questions.
Some of the royal family's social media followers asked why the Duchess of Edinburgh was not wearing robes or included in the picture, despite attending the service.
The reason for this is that Sophie is not a Lady of the Thistle – the highest honour in Scotland. She may one day be given the honour as they are a personal gift of the King.
Prince Edward was appointed to the Order on his 60 th birthday in March, while Queen Camilla was given the honour in June 2023
The order has a complement of 16 knights and ladies, and in addition the Queen, the Princess Royal and the Duke of Rothesay, as the Prince of Wales is known in Scotland, are Royal Knights of the Thistle.
The Queen was appointed chancellor of the University of Aberdeen in 2013 and in a speech to mark the 10th anniversary of her role at the institution, she said: "Coming to this university, and to this city, has always felt a bit like coming home to me.
"Firstly because my father's family came from this part of Scotland, secondly because my husband and I are lucky enough to spend precious time each year in Aberdeenshire, and finally because 10 years ago, I received the great honour of being installed as chancellor of this very special university."
Camilla is patron of Maggie's Cancer Care Centres, founded in Edinburgh in 1996 and now with sites across Scotland, England and Wales.
She is also patron or president of a number of charities based in Scotland, including Crathie Opportunity Holidays, Scotland’s Gardens Scheme and Horseback UK, and is an honorary member of the local Ballater Women’s Institute and the Upper Deeside Art Society.
Edward also holds several patronages of Scottish charitable organisations including the Edinburgh International Festival.
LISTEN: Inside Royal Ascot
LOVE THE ROYALS? JOIN THE CLUB!
If you are reading this, the chances are you are obsessed with all things royalty – which is just as well because so are we! So obsessed, in fact, we’ve launched a club solely dedicated to covering them. So welcome to The HELLO! Royal Club . We would love you to join us there…
What is it?
Interactive community offering behind-the-scenes access, exclusive royal interviews, unmissable royal insights, and an illustrious royal Inner Circle .
Get updates delivered to you daily. Free and customizable.
Welcome to NewsBreak, an open platform where diverse perspectives converge. Most of our content comes from established publications and journalists, as well as from our extensive network of tens of thousands of creators who contribute to our platform. We empower individuals to share insightful viewpoints through short posts and comments. It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency: our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. We strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation. Join us in shaping the news narrative together.
Comments / 0