Queen marks a new decade with new royal portrait

The Queen is celebrating the new decade with a portrait of herself with Charles, William and George, reflecting the new ‘slimmed-down’ Royal image with a focus on the throne’s direct heirs.

The photograph of Her Majesty, 93, alongside the Prince of Wales, Duke of Cambridge and six-year-old Prince George was taken in Buckingham Palace’s throne room on December 18. 

It shows the Queen standing at the front in a white dress with a blue brooch, clutching her trusted Launer handbag; George in Black Watch tartan long trousers and a white shirt by British designer Rachel Riley; Charles in a navy pinstripe suit and William standing behind his father, son and grandmother, smiling in a dark suit and navy blue tie. 

The photograph is only the second time that a portrait of Her Majesty and her three heirs has been issued. The first was released in April 2016 to mark the Queen’s 90th birthday, with the picture then printed on commemorative stamps. 

In the previous portrait, a then-two-year-old George stood next to his great-grandmother on a blue and black foam block, holding the hand of his father, William. The future king looks far more grown up and poised four years later, standing on a step behind the Queen with his grandfather’s hand on his shoulder. 

Both the 2016 and 2020 images were taken by photographer Ranald Mackechnie.

A similarly ‘slimmed-down’ image of the royal family was presented during the Queen’s Christmas speech last year following reports that Charles, 71, wanted to cut down on the number of working royals.

Last year saw the Duke of York stepping back from public life following November’s ‘car crash’ BBC interview that say him try to explain his friendship with convicted US padeophile Jeffrey Epstein.  

The new snap comes just two weeks after the royals marked the festive season with another series of photos.

The Queen, Charles, William and George made Christmas puddings in Buckingham Palace last month, pictured in front of a Christmas tree adorned with regal corgi and crown decorations.

In footage that was played during the Queen’s Christmas message, George was seen repeatedly stabbing the thick pudding mixture with a wooden spoon, making his grandfather chuckle.

Both the new portrait and the Christmas pudding photos were taken on December 18, when the Queen hosted the royal family at Buckingham Palace for their annual Christmas lunch. 

Last year’s Queen’s speech saw the monarch reflect on the ‘bumpy’ year endured by both her family and our country. 

She addressed issues facing the nation at the end of a year where Prince Philip faced a police probe over a car crash, Prince Harry acknowledged tensions with his relationship with William, and Harry’s wife Meghan admitted she was struggling with her new royal life.

But the most turbulent issue that faced the Royal Family was the fallout from Prince Andrew’s disastrous Newsnight interview concerning his relationship with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

There was no picture of Harry and Meghan on her desk for the most Christmas speech, unlike the year before when she had two in the shot. 

There was also no sign of Prince Andrew. Last December saw reports that Prince Charles planned to strip back the royal family to just him, William, Harry, and their wives and children when he becomes king following Andrew’s Epstein scandal. 

The Duke of York was effectively sacked by his mother after older brother Charles warned that the scandal threatened to engulf the monarchy.    

A royal uniform! New portrait shows Prince George in a white shirt with blue piping that he always wears for formal occasions – but he’s all grown up in trendy tartan trousers instead of his signature shorts

By Harriet Johnston for MailOnline 

Prince George has proved he’s all grown up as he donned his signature style white shirt with blue piping in a new royal portrait released today.

The little royal, 6, can be seen smiling coyly as he poses alongside the Queen, 93, Prince Charles, 71, and Prince William, 37, in the family photograph of the three heirs released to mark the new decade.

Prince George wore a smart white long-sleeve shirt with blue piping for the occasion, a style remarkably similar to one he first wore for his first royal heirs portrait in 2015.

The royal has worn a similar style of shirt on eight occasions in the past few years, including twice for Trooping the Colour, his fifth birthday portrait and Princess Eugenie’s wedding.

The little royal is fast-making the white shirt with the blue piped detailing his signature style, having worn it on more than six other royal occasions. 

He was first snapped in the garment in 2015, when Kate Middleton, 37, photographed him alongside his sister Charlotte, 4, shortly after her birth.

He also regularly worn a similar white shirt with light blue piping for Trooping the Colour, although often opts for a short sleeve version for the summer event.  

The little royal also wore a similar white shirt with velvet navy piping when he was acting as pageboy for Princess Eugenie’s wedding in October 2018. 

While the royal’s favourite shirt may be surprisingly similar on each occasion, the little royal proved he is fast growing up by swapping his boyish blue shorts for smart Black Watch trousers for the portrait. 

The slim fit tartan trousers, from luxury children’s brand Trotters, cost £50 and are described as being a ‘smart and festive look for any little boy’ at Christmas.

The royal was first seen wearing long trousers for an official portrait for the Cambridge’s Christmas card in 2018, having rarely worn them publicly, aside from when he acted as a Page Boy for Prince Harry and Princess Eugenie’s weddings. 

Since he’s been old enough to walk, George has worn shorts in all the official portraits taken to mark milestones such as his birthday or the Queen’s 90th birthday.

He’s also been wearing shorts in pictures taken in his school uniform, and when he’s accompanied his parents on overseas tours to Poland, Germany and Canada.

Previously, MailOnline’s etiquette William Hanson told Femail that Kate put her son exclusively in shorts as it’s an aristocratic way to dress.

He claimed that shorts on young boys are, in fact, a silent British class marker and trousers are deemed ‘suburban’, which no self-respecting royal would want to be considered.  

In the photograph, which was taken on December 18, when the Queen hosted the royal family at Buckingham Palace for their annual Christmas lunch, George can be seen smiling coyly alongside his father, grandfather and great grandmother.

The image is only the second time that a portrait of all four royals together has been issued. 

The Queen stands at the front of the picture in a white dress accessorised with a blue brooch and holding one of her iconic handbags.

Meanwhile George and Charles – in a navy pinstripe suit – are stood together on a red-carpeted step.

William stands behind his father, son and grandmother, smiling at the back of the picture in a dark suit and navy blue tie. 

The first image was released in April 2016 to mark the Queen’s 90th birthday, with the picture then printed on commemorative stamps.

The youngest royal’s elevated position in the new portrait is reminiscent of the 2016 photo, when then-two-year-old George stood next to his great-grandmother on a blue and black step, holding the hand of his father, William.

Both the 2016 and 2020 images were taken by photographer Ranald Mackechnie.

The new snap comes just two weeks after the royals marked the festive season with another series of photos.

The Queen, Charles, William and George made Christmas puddings in Buckingham Palace last month, pictured in front of a Christmas tree adorned with regal corgi and crown decorations.

In footage that was played during the Queen’s Christmas message, George was seen repeatedly stabbing the thick pudding mixture with a wooden spoon, making his grandfather chuckle. 

Who needs a crown! Queen sports the trusty Launer handbag that rarely leaves her side for new official portrait (and she’s been carrying the same style for more than half a century)

By Chloe Morgan for MailOnline

Her Majesty can be seen clutching her trusted Launer handbag in an official family photograph released to mark the new decade.

In the snap, the Queen, 93, who has carried near-identical versions of the very same bag for more than 60 years, can be seen smiling alongside Prince George, six, Prince Charles, 71, and Prince William, 37.

The classic totes come with a price tag of up to £1,650 but are worn again and again by the monarch, who recycles them for engagements and even has the fittings repaired rather than splash out on new models. 

It has been said that the Queen owns over 200 bags from Launer, with her favourite style being the Traviata, a £1,850 bag made from calf leather and finished in black patent, which has unsurprisingly, become the brand’s biggest seller. 

She also owns several different versions of the Adagio in black and patent cream, both £1,300, the Bellini, costing £1,250, the Royale, sold at £1,650, the Lulu in cream, priced at £740, and the Encore handbag in black calf leather.

‘I saw her with an old one with a metal-plate structure. She keeps all the bags and even all the Queen’s Mother’s bags,’ Gerald Bodmer, CEO of Launer London, told the MailOnline back in 2016. 

‘It’s amazing how they last. They’re structured, that’s our strength.’

Gerald speaks to the Queen’s dresser Angela Kelly, reportedly one of the Queen’s closest confidantes, to ensure his designs suit the monarch’s signature look that consists of a bold coloured outfit with a monochrome bag.

Her Majesty also knows exactly what she wants from her bags and when she orders a new design, she asks for customisation.

Gerald said she often asks for ‘the handles longer,’ so the handbag doesn’t get in the way while shaking hands.

The Queen also wants ease of opening from so that means no shoulder bag or zips.

But for some special occasions, the company will make a bag smaller, such as the Lisa design, priced at £930, that the Queen accessorised with for William and Kate’s wedding in 2011. 

He added that for the Queen’s petite proportions it’s important she has a smaller bag because it wouldn’t look right for her to wear a ‘blooming great thing’.

While onlookers have long wondered what on earth she carries in her ever-present receptacle, Gerald provides a hint.

He said there are basics inside including a mirror and a purse and a spectacle case in matching leather for ‘an occasion like her birthday’.

And for Britain’s biggest VIP, it takes just days for the bags to be produced.

The Queen first started her love of Launer after being sent a bag in 1968 by Sam Launer and the company was given the Royal Warrant.   

And since Gerald joined the company in the early 1980s, he estimated he’s sent around 20 designs to Her Majesty.