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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Jennifer Newton

King Charles' touching tributes to unlikely family members spotted by eagle-eyed fans

In his role as monarch, King Charles will see himself meeting a wide range of people from world leaders to community volunteers.

And if they are lucky enough, they may even be given a private audience with him at Buckingham Palace.

His mother the late Queen had a special audience room she would use at the palace for these meetings.

And it appears that Charles has now begun using this room for audiences as he met Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield - a former commander of the International Space Station.

The audience room where they met was filled with family photographs, which adorned the covered grand piano and other antique furniture.

King Charles during an audience with astronaut Chris Hadfield at Buckingham Palace (PA)

And among them were wedding photos taken at the nuptials of several other unlikely royals.

The portraits included an official group photo from the 1999 wedding of the King’s brother and sister-in-law, Prince Edward and Sophie Wessex.

The picture shows the happy couple, as well as Charles, his other brother Prince Andrew and the late Queen and Prince Philip.

Meanwhile, another wedding portrait that adorns the room is of Prince and Princess Michael of Kent, who tied the knot in 1978.

One of the framed photos was from the wedding of Prince Edward and Sophie Wessex (PA)
Edward and Sophie on their wedding day in 1999 (PA)

Prince Michael is a cousin of the late Queen and he announced his retirement from public life last year at the age of 80.

In addition, other photos dotted around the room have been claimed to have been identified on social media - and they appear to show members of foreign royal families.

One royal fan, called Rex et Regina Britanniae, claimed to see images of Queen Margrethe of Denmark, Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko of Japan, King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima of the Netherlands and King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium.

Prince and Princess Michael of Kent pictured in Windsor in 2018 (2018 Max Mumby/Indigo)

However, during another audience at Buckingham Palace last week, the King opted to use the 1844 Room.

Here he met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for the first time in a “truly special” audience.

Mr Zelensky was dressed in his trademark khaki green military fatigues as he was welcomed to the royal residence on Wednesday afternoon.

The president was on his first visit to the UK since the Russian invasion of his country began and in his address to Parliament said he would take the opportunity to thank Charles for the support he had shown Ukraine as the Prince of Wales.

Charles with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at Buckingham Palace (PA)

The pair discussed the conflict in Ukraine and the part Britain has played in supporting the nation, Buckingham Palace said.

In the opulent room, Mr Zelensky told the King that it was "a great honour to be here", adding: "Thank you for finding the time for me."

The King said: "We've all been worried about you and thinking about your country for so long, I can't tell you."

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