King Charles is first depicted with his red box.
The photo, taken last week, shows the king performing official government duties in the Eighteenth Century Hall in… Buckingham Palace.
Red boxes contain papers from government ministers in the UK and the wealthy, as well as Commonwealth representatives.
Documents are sent from the private secretariat to the king, anywhere in the world, in a sealed red shipping box.
These include documents requiring a signature, briefing documents, and information about upcoming meetings.
In the photo, Charles sits at a gilded desk and reaches for important papers, one tied with a ribbon, in an open red box next to him.
In the background is a framed black-and-white photograph of his parents, which they gave to George VI for Christmas in 1951.
King Charles is first photographed performing official government duties
The Queen (pictured in 2015) received red boxes every day of her reign, including weekends, but not on Christmas Day
The Royal Family’s Twitter page today shared photos of the late Queen wearing her red box at various points during her reign
Earlier, luxury British leather goods company Barrow Hepburn & Gale confirmed that boxes for Charles were in production.
On September 11, a company spokesperson said the king would initially receive more than six boxes, which would contain the new royal figure.
Ten to twelve boxes may be produced and delivered in phases in the coming months.
Each box, the price of which is never released, has its own code lock and is designed to last for years.
The company says on its website that its boxes “follow their holder around the world so they can carry out the responsibilities of their office.”
It adds: ‘Wherever in the world the sovereign or minister is, the red box is close by.
In 2015, the Royal Family’s Facebook account said the Queen (pictured in 1972) was still using boxes made for her coronation in 1953, which had been “periodically refurbished” to keep them in good condition.
British leather goods company Barrow Hepburn & Gale said the role of the boxes “hasn’t changed in over a century”. Pictured: Princess Elizabeth talks to her father, King George VI as he goes through the royal boxes in a study at Windsor Castle
‘Our shipping boxes not only have an elegant design, but are also functional and safe.’
In September 2015, the royal family’s Facebook account said the Queen received red boxes every day of her reign, including weekends, but not on Christmas Day.
According to the post, the Queen was still using boxes made for her 1953 coronation, which had been “refurbished periodically” to keep them in good condition.
Barrow Hepburn & Gale said the role of the boxes “hasn’t changed in over a century.”
Queen Elizabeth sits at her desk in Buckingham Palace with the Palace telephone exchange behind her and sorts through her red box, which is said to contain papers requiring a signature, briefing papers and information about upcoming meetings
Documents are sent from the cabinet of the cabinet to the monarch anywhere in the world. Here’s the box followed the queen to Windsor Castle
It added: “There are two possible reasons why the shipping box got the iconic red color.
The generally accepted reason relates to Prince Albert, consort of Queen Victoria, who reportedly preferred the color as prominently used in the arms of his family, the Saxe-Coburg-Gotha.
However, there is a school of thought that dates back to the late 16th century when Queen Elizabeth I’s representative Francis Throckmorton handed the Spanish ambassador, Bernardino de Mendoza, a specially constructed red briefcase full of black pudding.
“It was seen as an official announcement from the Queen, and so the color red became the official color of the state.”