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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Katie Weston

King Charles and Camilla refresh their social media profiles ahead of next month's coronation

King Charles and Camilla have refreshed their profile pictures ahead of next month's coronation.

The Royal Family's official Twitter and Instagram accounts were updated with a newly released portrait of the couple.

In the new official photo, the King and Queen both wear blue as they’re photographed smiling arm-in-arm in the Blue Room at Buckingham Palace.

The image was taken by Hugo Burnand, a favourite photographer of the royals.

The Royal Family posted the portrait on its Instagram page last week, writing: "As the countdown to the Coronation continues, a new photograph of The King and The Queen Consort, taken last month in the Blue Drawing Room at Buckingham Palace, has been released.

The King and Queen refreshed their profile pictures ahead of the coronation (@RoyalFamily/Twitter)

"It is also announced today that eight Pages of Honour have been chosen to attend Their Majesties during the Coronation Service. The Pages will form part of the procession through the Nave of Westminster Abbey."

As well as changing display pictures, Buckingham Palace also revealed an official emoji to celebrate the coronation.

The colourful cartoon motif depicts the 17th century jewelled solid gold St Edward's Crown with purple velvet cap - the regalia which will be used to crown the King on May 6.

It came as celebrations for the historic event were unveiled, detailing the procession route, the carriages and the Crown Jewels chosen to play a starring role.

Charles and Camilla attending a Green Energy reception in Berlin on March 29 (PA)

Charles and Camilla will travel in a shorter procession route than the late Elizabeth II and break with tradition by only using the elaborate 260-year-old Gold State Coach one way - on their return.

The pair have personally decided to make the 1.3 mile outward journey - known as the King's Procession - from Buckingham Palace in the more modern, comfortable Diamond Jubilee State Coach, which has shock absorbers, heating and air conditioning.

They will travel, accompanied by The Sovereign's Escort of the Household Cavalry, down The Mall via Admiralty Arch and along the south side of Trafalgar Square.

They will continue along Whitehall and Parliament Street, around the east and south sides of Parliament Square to Broad Sanctuary to arrive at the Abbey.

King Charles' coronation service will begin at 11am on May 6 (PA)

The late Queen rode both ways in the Gold State Coach for her 1953 coronation, famously describing the bumpy experience in the carriage, which is suspended on leather straps, as "horrible".

Her outward procession was 1.6 miles long but her return procession was five miles, taking her down Piccadilly, along Oxford Street and Regent Street and Haymarket.

It took two hours to complete, featured 16,000 participants and was designed to allow her to be seen by as many people as possible.

A newly crowned Charles and Camilla will instead travel just 1.3 miles back in the Gold State Coach after the ceremony, reversing their outward journey as they wave to the crowds, with the King wearing the Imperial State Crown.

Charles and Camilla during the State Opening of Parliament in 2016 (Getty Images)

The route is understood to have been chosen for practical reasons, being a familiar tried and tested journey for many royal occasions.

A Buckingham Palace spokesperson said: "The carriages chosen reflect the smaller procession to the Abbey and the larger procession back to Buckingham Palace.

"They were the personal choice of Their Majesties."

As previously announced, Charles will be crowned with the 17th century St Edward's Crown which has been resized to fit his head.

He will switch it for the lighter Imperial State Crown at the end of the ceremony as is the custom.

The King and Queen Consort will also receive a royal salute in the Buckingham Palace gardens from the military troops on parade.

They will take the salute from the West Terrace after the ceremony and the servicemen and women will give three cheers - a special coronation tribute from the Armed Forces to the couple.

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