14 Sweet Photos of Queen Elizabeth and King Charles' Most Memorable Mother-Son Moments
14 Sweet Photos of Queen Elizabeth and King Charles' Most Memorable Mother-Son Moments
Alex Apatoff, Emily KrauserTue, April 21, 2026 at 10:00 PM UTC
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King Charles and Queen Elizabeth appear on the balcony of Buckingham Palace in London during the Platinum Jubilee Pageant on June 5, 2022Credit: Chris Jackson/Getty -
Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip welcomed their first child, son King Charles, on Nov. 14, 1948
The late monarch crowned Charles the Prince of Wales in 1962
The pair regularly attended official outings together, including the annual Braemar Highland Gathering and Trooping the Colour parades
King Charles had a close relationship with his mother, Queen Elizabeth.
Charles was the firstborn of the Queen's four children with her husband of 73 years, Prince Philip.
In Prince of Wales: A Biography, the 1994 tome by Jonathan Dimbleby that the King authorized, Charles described his relationship with his parents as distant, as noted by The New York Times. As he got older, they strengthened their bond, with the two seen laughing at public engagements, and the King sometimes affectionately referred to his mother as "darling Mama" or "Your Majesty, Mummy" during speeches, per Newsweek.
After the Queen's death on Sept. 8, 2022, at age 96, Charles succeeded her immediately as monarch. Eight months later, King Charles was officially crowned.
In his first address as monarch two weeks after the Queen's death, the monarch shared a heartfelt message about his mother.
"Throughout her life, Her Majesty The Queen — my beloved Mother — was an inspiration and example to me and to all my family, and we owe her the most heartfelt debt any family can owe to their mother; for her love, affection, guidance, understanding and example," he said.
From polo matches and the annual games in Scotland to the Trooping the Colour parade, revisit some of the most memorable public moments between King Charles and the late monarch.
01 of 14
At Charles' Christening in 1948
Queen Elizabeth holds baby Prince Charles at his christening in 1948Credit: Mirrorpix via Getty
Then-Princess Elizabeth flashed a warm smile as she posed for a photo with her firstborn son on the day of his christening.
02 of 14
At Balmoral Castle in 1952
Queen Elizabeth watches her son, King Charles, play in his toy car at Balmoral Castle in Scotland on Sept. 28, 1952Credit: Lisa Sheridan/Studio Lisa/Hulton Archive/Getty
While at her beloved summer residence in Scotland in 1952, the Queen looked over her son, then 4, as he played in his toy car, which matched her dress perfectly!
03 of 14
During a Polo Match in 1956
Queen Elizabeth and King Charles attend a polo match at Windsor Great Park in Windsor, England, in 1956Credit: Hulton Archive/Getty
The Queen and her son shared a love of riding and were photographed multiple times at polo matches in Windsor. The sovereign would go on to play polo, and she rode horses up until the last year of her life.
04 of 14
Crowning Charles the Prince of Wales in 1969
Queen Elizabeth crowns her son, Charles, Prince of Wales, during his investiture ceremony at Caernarfon Castle in Caernarfon, Wales, on July 1, 1969Credit: Hulton Archive/Getty
At Caernarfon Castle, the Queen crowned her son during his investiture ceremony to become Prince of Wales in July 1969.
05 of 14
At Windsor Castle in 1969
From left: Queen Elizabeth, Prince Edward and King Charles at Windsor Castle in England in April 1969Credit: Anwar Hussein/WireImage
Occasionally, the royal family shared glimpses into their family life, including this sweet shot of the Queen and her eldest son conversing as her youngest son, Prince Edward, looked on.
06 of 14
At a Polo Match in 2003
King Charles gives his mother, Queen Elizabeth, a kiss on the hand after a polo match at Windsor Great Park in Windsor, England, on June 18, 2003Credit: Anwar Hussein/Getty
After playing a polo match in Windsor, King Charles gave his mother a chivalrous kiss on the hand.
07 of 14
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At King Charles' Wedding in 2005
From left: King Charles, Queen Camilla and Queen Elizabeth leave the Service of Prayer and Dedication following Charles and Camilla's wedding at The Guildhall at Windsor Castle in Berkshire, England, on April 9, 2005Credit: ROTA-Pool/Getty
The Queen smiled approvingly at Charles and his new bride, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall (now Queen Camilla).
Though she and Philip didn't attend the intimate 2005 ceremony itself — the Queen decided that, as head of the Church of England, it wasn't appropriate for her to be at the wedding of two people who had each divorced their previous partners — they were present for the Service of Prayer and Dedication at St. George's Chapel in Windsor Castle afterward.
They also held a reception for the couple.
08 of 14
At the Braemar Highland Gathering in 2006
Queen Elizabeth and King Charles laugh at their Balmoral team during the tug-of-war competition at the Braemar Highland Games in Braemar, Scotland, on Sept. 2, 2006Credit: Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty
Regulars at the Highland games, the mother and son get a kick out of a tug-of-war game going on in September 2006.
09 of 14
Reading a Biography of the Queen Mother in 2009
Queen Elizabeth sits with King Charles as he reads from one of the first copies of 'Queen Elizabeth: The Queen Mother, The Official Biography' in a living room at Birkhall, his Scottish home, on Sept. 2, 2009Credit: John Stillwell-WPA Pool/Getty
The mother and son held one of the first copies of the official biography of Queen Elizabeth's mother, who died in March 2002 at the age of 92, titled Queen Elizabeth: The Queen Mother, The Official Biography.
10 of 14
At the Chelsea Flower Show in 2009
Queen Elizabeth presents King Charles with the Royal Horticultural Society's Victoria Medal of Honour during a visit to the Chelsea Flower Show in London on May 18, 2009Credit: Sang Tan/WPA Pool/Getty
King Charles, a passionate environmentalist and gardener, was presented with the Royal Horticultural Society's Victoria Medal of Honour by the Queen — a high honor rarely bestowed by the society — in May 2009. He was the second royal to earn it after his grandmother, Elizabeth.
11 of 14
At the Braemar Highland Gathering in 2012
Queen Elizabeth and King Charles share a laugh while watching the children's sack race during the 2012 Braemar Highland Gathering at the Princess & Royal Duke of Fife Memorial Park in Braemar, Scotland, on Sept. 1, 2012
The Queen and her son shared a rare moment of uncontrolled laughter as they took in a children's sack race in September 2012 at the annual games in Scotland.
12 of 14
At the State Opening of Parliament in 2019
King Charles and Queen Elizabeth attend the State Opening of Parliament by Queen Elizabeth in the House of Lords at the Palace of Westminster in London on Oct. 14, 2019Credit: Victoria Jones - WPA Pool / Getty
The King escorted his mother to the throne for one of her royal duties: opening parliament each year.
By special order of the Queen, King Charles took on that task for the first time in May 2022. The occasion also marked Prince William's first attendance at a parliament opening in Westminster, London.
13 of 14
At the Queen's Jubilee in 2022
From left: Queen Camilla, King Charles, Queen Elizabeth, Prince Louis, Kate Middleton and Princess Charlotte appear on the balcony of Buckingham Palace during the Trooping the Colour parade in London in June 2022Credit: Anthony Harvey/Shutterstock
Grandkids were a soft spot for the Queen, as they are now for King Charles. (The late monarch and Philip shared eight grandchildren, who have since welcomed kids of their own.)
During the 2022 Trooping the Colour parade in London, both chatted with Prince William and Kate Middleton's youngest child, son Prince Louis, on the balcony of Buckingham Palace.
14 of 14
At the Platinum Jubilee Pageant in 2022
King Charles and Queen Elizabeth are photographed on the balcony of Buckingham Palace in London during the Platinum Jubilee Pageant on June 5, 2022Credit: Chris Jackson/Getty
During the Queen's four-day Platinum Jubilee, which marked her 70 years on the throne, King Charles and the late monarch were all smiles on the balcony of Buckingham Palace in London for the Platinum Jubilee Pageant on June 5, 2022.
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