Invites issued for King Charles' coronation on May 6

LONDON: Invites for the May 6 coronation of the UK's King Charles III have been issued by the Buckingham Palace.

Along with the ornately illustrated invitation from "King Charles III and Queen Camilla", a new photograph of the royals which was taken last month in the Blue Drawing Room at the Buckingham Palace was also released on Tuesday.

The invite, printed on recycled paper, shows the coronation will mark a change in how Camilla is titled -- from Queen Consort to Queen.

In a statement, the Palace said the invitation will be issued in due course to over 2,000 guests who will form the congregation in Westminster Abbey.

At the coronation service, Camilla will be crowned alongside the King, 18 years after the couple married.

The invitation has been designed by Andrew Jamieson, a heraldic artist and manuscript illuminator whose work is inspired by the chivalric themes of Arthurian legend.

The original artwork for the invitation was hand-painted in watercolour and gouache, and the design will be reproduced and printed on recycled card, with gold foil detailing.

Central to the design is the motif of the Green Man, an ancient figure from British folklore, symbolic of spring and rebirth, to celebrate the new reign.

The shape of the Green Man, crowned in natural foliage, is formed of leaves of oak, ivy and hawthorn, and the emblematic flowers of the UK.

The British wildflower meadow bordering the invitation features lily of the valley, cornflowers, wild strawberries, dog roses, bluebells, and a sprig of rosemary for remembrance, together with wildlife including a bee, a butterfly, a ladybird, a wren and a robin.

Flowers appear in groupings of three, signifying The King becoming the third monarch of his name, said the statement.

A lion, unicorn and a boar -- taken from the coats of arms of the Monarch -- can be seen amongst the flowers.