Palace releases first portrait of King Charles

The royal family has released the first portrait of King Charles since he acceded the throne.

Artist Alistair Barford created the oil painting in just two weeks and he completed it without the king formally sitting for the portrait.

According to express.co.uk, the artist studied the monarch at a Buckingham Palace reception last month.

The publication reported that Barford attended the reception on February 17, which was held in support of global biodiversity, to observe the King at work.

It said he later used photographs and sketches from the event to complete his portrait.

“I wished to capture his warmth and sensitivity, the empathy which came across in his interactions with the people he met," the website quoted Barford as saying.

The UK's Daily Express reported that the artist even managed to feature a subtle nod to Charles' decades of campaigning on climate change and sustainability within the portrait.