A PORTRAIT of the King will appear on the front page of the Big Issue next week, it has been announced.
King Charles is set to write about food insecurity and the importance of finding practical ways to bridge the gap between food waste and food need.
The portrait, by renowned photographer Rankin, will appear in the magazine on Monday, a day before the King’s 75th birthday.
This comes after the State Opening of Parliament on Tuesday, which saw King Charles being booed as he entered Westminster.
The King's Speech, written by the government but delivered by the monarch, was widely criticised for many of the policies set out, including the Tories' plan to increase oil and gas licencing in the North Sea which has been condemned by activists.
A director at a UK-wide network of food banks said that the King's Speech offered no hope for people facing extreme hardship.
In the magazine, the King writes that he wanted to use his birthday to shine the spotlight on food insecurity and food waste to create a "lasting legacy to help others."
Paul McNamee, editor of the Big Issue, said: “King Charles’ support for the Big Issue goes back decades. He opened one of our London offices in the 90s, when he met an old school friend, who was selling the magazine.
“The King’s attachment to the Big Issue has remained strong since, as has that of the entire royal family and we’re delighted he gave us his time, and his words.
“The cover comes at a key moment, when vendors face a tough winter. This will hopefully boost their sales, which is at the heart of why we exist.”
Big Issue was founded in 1991 and circulates more than 50,000 copies of its weekly print magazine.
The street magazine operates through a vendor system, aiming to support homeless people to earn an income.
Vendors get 50% of the net proceeds from both physical sales and digital subscriptions and are supported in other ways to find accommodation, set up a bank account, provide access to internet services and acquiring official identification.
