Senior female members of the Royal Family will wear a miniature portrait of King Charles when they host President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte, at Windsor Castle for a State Banquet on Tuesday.
The Royal Family Order of King Charles III features a 4cm x 3cm painting of the monarch, part of a tradition that dates back more than 200 years.
The piece, created by artist Elizabeth Meek in 100 hours on the meticulous work, see's an intricate portrait of Charles in full Admiral of the Fleet regalia on synthetic polymin set against a jewel encrusted frame.
It is topped with a similarly dazzling crown motif and is held by a white ribbon. The device's flip side features the monarch's CR cypher and another depiction of the crown.
Senior royal women will wear a miniature portrait of King Charles during this week's State Visit banquet
GETTY
The portrait was originally completed in just four weeks for the State Visit of the Emperor and Empress of Japan in June last year.
King Charles's miniature portrait will serve a similar role during the visit of the French President and his wife at the State Banquet, but it remains uncertain if Princess Kate will be among the senior royal women present.
Kensington Palace has yet to confirm whether or not the Princess of Wales will attend the banquet in Windsor Castle’s St George’s Hall.
Prince William and Princess Kate will take centre stage in the initial stages of the State Visit, first greeting the Mr and Mrs Macron at RAF Northolt on July 8, on behalf of King Charles III.
Artist Elizabeth Meek took 100 hours to complete the piece for the State Visit of the Emperor and Empress of Japan last year
PA
The two couple's will then travel together to Windsor where they will join the King and Queen for the formal ceremonial welcome at the Royal Dais on Datchet Road.
The Prince and Princess of Wales will also take part in the carriage procession through Windsor town alongside Their Majesties and the French visitors.
The artist behind King Charles’s miniature portrait, Elizabeth Meek, reflected on when she was contacted by a royal aide about the commission.
She remembered: "He said, 'I don't want to put you under any pressure, but how long do you think it'll take you?'”
The backside of the medal features the King;s cypher
PA
“And I did get it done in time. I did it in four weeks. My husband insisted I took a day off a week because I worked every day from morning till night. It was really stressful," Meek told The Times.
She had previously painted King Charles at Highgrove in 2005 and has been awarded an MBE.
It was this experience that prompted Charles to enlist Meek some 17 years later to create his new Royal Family Order of King Charles III.
“He has got a memory like an elephant,” the artist declared.
LATEST ROYAL NEWS:
William and Kate will take on a central role in the first stages of this week's State Visit
GETTY
Meek used powerful magnifying glasses and tiny paintbrushes dipped in turpentine to thin the paint for the miniature work.
The artist is entirely self-taught. After training as a nurse, she discovered a guide to miniatures in a charity shop for £5 and began submitting work to the Royal Society of Miniature Painters, Sculptors and Gravers within months.
The Royal Family Order tradition dates back more than 200 years to George IV, who began formally presenting family orders to acknowledge service to the crown.
When Meek stepped down as president of the Royal Society of Miniature Painters, Sculptors and Gravers in 2013, Charles praised her "determination to retain the tradition of this art form, which has been historically significant since the reign of Henry VIII".
"Charles is concerned to keep these sorts of traditional skills going. We want to encourage the younger people, even if it's sort of different, so it's not just all old people like me," Meek said.
Most Read
