King Charles: Painful reason why monarch took down family portrait at Sandringham

King Charles has reportedly taken a family portrait of the royals at Sandringham Castle for a heartbreaking reason. The group portrait captures several senior members of the family including the late-Queen and Queen Mother in 1997.

Painted by Andrew Festing, it was commissioned to mark Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh’s golden wedding anniversary and was said to be  a favourite of the former monarch. However, palace sources have said that fondness was not shared by the now King Charles.

The King is featured in the portrait giving a speech but is said to have ordered it be taken down from display. Also seen in the painting are the Princess Royal, Prince Edward and Prince Andrew, as well as several other foreign monarchs and dignitaries.

The gathering in the picture took place in 1997, just months after Princess Diana’s death, and sources said it reminds the King of an extremely difficult year. A source told the Mail Online: “He didn’t like it. It was an unwelcome reminder of one of the worst years of his life.”

A royal source added: “From time to time, displays on the visitor route at Sandringham are adapted.” The anniversary in question is when Queen Elizabeth paid tribute to her husband, famously describing him as "my strength and stay".