King Charles’ heartbreakingly sweet tribute to Queen Camilla’s family at latest engagement that you might not have noticed

King Charles’ heartbreakingly sweet tribute to Queen Camilla’s family at his latest engagement might not have been noticed by everyone.  

• His Majesty stepped out in Pickering on June 12 for his latest engagement in the lead-up to his official birthday parade, Trooping the Color.
• For this special visit he opted for a tie with a pattern that could be seen to have paid tribute to his late brother-in-law Mark Shand.
• This royal news comes as we revealed the dramatic statement King Charles could make within days as he prepares for a heartbreaking occasion. 

Whilst Queen Camilla’s grandchildren might not be glimpsed at public events in the same way as her step-grandchildren Prince George, Charlotte and Louis who are high up in the royal line of succession, several had starring roles at the coronation. Meanwhile, both of Queen Camilla’s children, Tom Parker Bowles and Laura Lopes, were at Queen Elizabeth’s funeral and the coronation too and are understood to have a close bond with His Majesty. 

Now King Charles’ heartbreakingly sweet tribute to Queen Camilla’ family has been made at his latest solo engagement. And whilst some fans might not have noticed the meaningful detail in his outfit, his choice of tie has a poignant link to his late brother-in-law. 

Arriving by the Flying Scotsman train in Pickering in North Yorkshire on June 12, King Charles paid a visit to the town and railway as the engine celebrated its 100th anniversary. Straying away from his usual smart blue suits, the monarch dressed for the hot UK weather in a cream jacket, pants and white shirt. This classic neutral summer color palette made the contrasting burgundy shade of his tie pop even more and the pattern really caught our eye.

Whilst it might not be immediately clear in snaps taken throughout the day, King Charles’ tie has tiny gray elephants with their trunks raised in a repeated pattern alongside what looks to be another type of animal. His Majesty is known for expressing his personality through creative ties as King Charles’ snazzy tribute to Queen Camilla’s passion for reading shone through in his royal blue and pink owl and pussycat tie in February.

The elephants could be seen as equally significant as King Charles and Queen Camilla are joint Royal Presidents of Elephant Family - the charity co-founded by the late Mark Shand in 2002. Her Majesty’s brother tragically passed away in 2014 after sustaining a head injury in a fall in New York. Elephant Family works in partnership with home grown in-country conservation experts to help tackle challenges facing Asia’s wildlife, including Asian elephants. 

His passion for conservation and for elephants specifically could be seen to have been reflected in King Charles’ tie and Queen Camilla has previously revealed that Mark’s book Travels on my Elephant “always brings a tear” to her eye. King Charles’ heartbreakingly sweet tribute to Mark with the elephant pattern is something that could likely mean a great deal to Queen Camilla.

His recent outing in Pickering came following his return from a solo break in Transylvania and after he and Queen Camilla reunited in public at Windsor Castle to host a reception for King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium. During his time in Yorkshire, His Majesty unveiled a plaque commemorating the 50th anniversary of the heritage railway, visited local shops and toured St Peter and St Paul’s Church where he learnt about its important medieval paintings.