King Charles takes Queen Camilla on poignant trip to celebrate his 77th birthday

King Charles and Queen Camilla will be embarking on a very special trip next week to celebrate His Majesty's 77th birthday, Buckingham Palace has announced. The King, whose birthday is celebrated twice each year, turns 77 next Friday, November 14.

To mark the special day, the royal couple will head to South Wales for a series of engagements with the local community. While there, Charles and Camilla are expected to meet locals at Cyfarthfa Castle, with their visit aiming to "highlight and celebrate the region's rich heritage, vibrant arts, and culture".

Their Majesties will attend a celebratory reception to mark the castle's 200th anniversary and the King's birthday, with the guest list featuring representatives from their patronages and notable figures from across the region. The King, who was the longest serving Prince of Wales from 1958 until 2022, and Queen are also expected to cut a birthday cake outside the castle grounds to mark His Majesty's special day.

Welsh cultural figures in attendance include actress Ruth Jones, TikTok creator Lewis Leigh, reality television personality Liam Reardon, fashion designer Julien Macdonald and representatives from the Laura Ashley Foundation.

The castle, built in 1825 as the grand residence of ironmaster William Crawshay II, remains one of Wales's most historically significant buildings and stands as a cultural beacon, home to a museum and art gallery and at the heart of plans for long-term restoration and development led by the Cyfarthfa Foundation.

It comes after a busy few days for the royals who have been working non-stop to mark Remembrance Week, with events culminating over the weekend.

Next week, the King and Queen will be joined by the Prince of Wales, the Duke of Edinburgh and the Duchess of Gloucester on Tuesday, November 11, for a poignant reception at Windsor Castle for veterans who served in World War 2 and their families in honour of the 80th Anniversary of VJ Day.

In August, the King and Queen attended a Service of Remembrance and met with veterans at the National Memorial Arboretum to commemorate 80 years since the end of World War II. Next week, they will be continuing the commemorations with a special reception in Windsor.

Members of the Firm will view a photographic display at the reception, titled Through Their Eyes. The display will capture the spirit of the WW2 generation by the Royal British Legion, of which the King is patron.