ing Charles is first depicted with its 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 is sitting at a desk. Papers, one tied with a ribbon, lie next to him.
A black and white photograph of the late Queen and Duke of Edinburgh is also shown, given by the couple to King George VI for Christmas in 1951.
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.
It is possible that 10 to 12 boxes will be made 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 and ensure that 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.
“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.
The post said 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”.
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 used prominently 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 over to 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, so the color red became the official color of the state.”