King Charles laughs with sister Princess Anne as he surprises her at St James's Palace
King Charles surprised his sister at an award reception she was hosting
King Charles and Princess Anne shared a heartwarming moment yesterday as the monarch made a surprise appearance at the 40th Annual Butler Trust Awards reception at St James’s Palace.
The royal siblings were seen laughing and exchanging warm smiles as they mingled with winners of the prestigious awards.
The Butler Trust Awards celebrate excellence among individuals working in prisons, probation, and youth justice across the UK.
King Charles surprises Princess Anne at Butler Trust Awards reception
A candid photo of King Charles and The Princess Royal sharing a laugh was posted on the official royal family Instagram account.
The snap quickly drew admiration from fans.
“We love this brother-sister duo! They need to do more public engagements together,” one user commented.
“There’s always such a joyous rapport between the King and the Princess Royal. It’s beautiful to see how much they enjoy each other’s company,” another fan gushed.
Just before the reception began, King Charles arrived unexpectedly. He joined his sister to meet and personally congratulate the award recipients – a gesture that clearly delighted both the guests and Anne herself.
The pair’s close relationship has long been evident. However, this joint appearance offered a particularly touching glimpse into their bond.
“The king supporting his little sister is what makes this new monarchy so special to watch. They are all doing this together,” one royal fan also gushed online.
The Butler’s Trust
The Princess Royal has been Patron of the Butler Trust since its inception in 1985.
The event honours those who have gone above and beyond in their work supporting rehabilitation and justice reform.
Among this year’s recipients were probation officer Humphrey Agbukor, youth justice worker Gerry Bowman, and senior probation officer Chloe Causier-Bayliss, as well as hospitable instructor Harjit Singh Gill and administrative officer Kay Turner, to name a few.
The Butler Trust was founded in memory of former Home Secretary Richard Austin Butler, Baron Butler of Saffron Walden.
It continues to play a key role in spotlighting excellence in the criminal justice sector.
King Charles and Queen Camilla’s visit to the Vatican is postponed
The joyful moment comes amid a slightly more disappointing development elsewhere in the royal diary.
Buckingham Palace confirmed that King Charles and Queen Camilla’s state visit to the Vatican has been postponed, as Pope Francis continues to recover from illness.
The King and Queen were originally scheduled to meet with the pontiff during their upcoming visit to Italy from April 7–10. The trip also notably overlaps with their 20th wedding anniversary on April 9.
In a statement, the palace shared that the meeting with Pope Francis was postponed “by mutual agreement” based on medical advice.
The Pope was hospitalised for nearly 40 days after being diagnosed with pneumonia.
“Their Majesties send The Pope their best wishes for his convalescence and look forward to visiting him in The Holy See, once he has recovered,” a palace spokesperson said.
Despite the change in plans, the King and Queen will continue with their visit to Italy. However, the itinerary may be adjusted.
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