Birthday bangs! King Charles turning 75 is marked with a 41 gun salute in London – as the monarch and Queen Camilla launch the Coronation Food Project in Oxfordshire

• Read more: King Charles 75th birthday LIVE updates: Monarch arrives to launch his food poverty project in Oxfordshire with wife Camilla by his side 

The King’s milestone 75th year was marked with a 41-gun royal salute in Green Park and a 62-gun salute at the Tower of London today – as the monarch and Queen Camilla arrived at the launch of an Oxfordshire food waste project in the middle of an almighty downpour. 

In what will be a working birthday for the king, Charles looked to be wearing his 75 years lightly as he arrived in Didcot around lunchtime with Queen Camilla to help launch the Coronation Food Project at a food waste distribution centre.

The monarch wore a warm-looking camel coat and a smart royal blue tie with a slate grey suit for the official visit, taking time to wave to those who’d gathered – many wearing disposable raincoats – to offer well wishes on his birthday. 

Queen Camilla, 76, opted for a stylish emerald green skirt suit with black knee-high boots and black leather gloves for the public outing – with both royals needing umbrellas to brave the inclement Oxfordshire weather.  

Meanwhile 70 miles away in London, members of The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery carried out the ceremonial tradition of a 41 gun salute for the king, lighting up a murky day in Green Park.

Happy birthday! King Charles III waves to well-wishers as he arrives at the launch of the Coronation Food Project with Queen Camilla at the South Oxfordshire Food and Education Alliance, a surplus food distribution centre in Didcot

The 41 gun salute lit up a murky day in Green Park with members of The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery carrying out the ceremonial tradition

The Honourable Artillery Company fired an additional 62-gun salute at Tower Wharf, Tower of London – an extra 21 for the City of London – at 1pm.

Later today, Charles will also host a Buckingham Palace reception highlighting the work of nurses and midwives over the decades as part of the NHS 75 celebrations. 

Among the guests will be around 400 nurses and midwives alongside the Chief Nursing Officer of England, Dame Ruth May, and Amanda Pritchard, chief executive of NHS England.

The monarch wore a warm-looking camel coat and a smart grey suit for the official visit, taking time to wave to those who’d gathered to offer well wishes on his birthday. Queen Camilla opted for a stylish emerald green skirt suit with black knee-high boots for the public outing – with both royals needing umbrellas to brave the Oxfordshire weather

As workers at the food waste depot, wearing hi-vis jackets, looked on, the king and queen waved to those who’d made the journey to wish Charles a happy birthday

Waving in the rain! The King, who’s enjoying a working birthday but will celebrate privately this evening with friends and family, looked in good spirits as he waved to the crowds ahead of launching the initiative in Didcot

On fine form! The King smiles at those shouting happy birthday in his direction 

Stoic support: A group of royal fans, wearing plastic rain macs, patiently await the arrival of the king and queen 

The project in Didcot aims to bridge the gap between food waste and food need (Pictured: Charles and Camilla in Oxfordshire this afternoon)

This morning, the Royal Family’s social media accounts paid tribute to King Charles on his 75th birthday, posting a photobook-style montage of images showing the monarch from his very first public appearance as a baby to more recent times – and lots of key moments in between.

The 39-second clip was posted on X this morning by the @RoyalFamily account and rolls back the decades for the monarch as he celebrates a milestone birthday – showing some of the most important moments of his life and more intimate photos spent with family members through the years. 

Finally under shelter, the king and queen met with workers at the food waste centre

The 41 gun salute in Green Park was followed by a 62-gun salute at Tower Wharf, Tower of London – an extra 21 for the City of London – at 1pm

The King’s horses trot through the royal park ahead of the 41 gun salute which took place at noon on Tuesday

Armed with earplugs to protect their hearing against the sound of the gunfire, the Honourable Artillery Company (HAC) prepare to carry out a 62-gun salute in the rain at the Tower of London

Members of the HAC pictured at Tower Wharf, the Tower of London on Tuesday morning

The guns are fired across the Thames in the 62 gun salute at Tower Wharf

Queen Camilla pictured being greeted by Dame Martina Milburn as she arrived to officially launch The Coronation Food Project

Holding a stylish transparent umbrella, the Queen looked a little uncertain about heading into the deluge

Up it goes! Camilla puts up the brolly as she prepares to join Charles at the Coronation Food Project

Queen Camilla took shelter from the rain under an umbrella as she exited a royal car in rainy Didcot

The post shared two emojis, one of a crown and the other of a cake, alongside the words ‘Wishing His Majesty The King a Happy 75th Birthday.’ 

There are images of the late Queen – including one from 1948 when she was pictured for the first time in public with her firstborn. Charles is seen fast asleep wearing a royal christening gown in his mother’s arms. 

Princes William and Harry also appear – although not together – with happy scenes from their childhood flashing past, including the moment the then Prince Charles and the late Princess Diana introduced their second son to the world at St. Mary’s Hospital in London in September 1984. 

To mark the King’s 75th birthday on Tuesday, the Royal Family’s official X account shared a touching 39-second photo montage of Charles’ life

A young then Prince Charles pictured in 1970, when he was just 22, right: a photo of the late Queen in a playful scene with her children

Charles is working today, and will launch the Coronation Food Project with the Queen which aims to bridge the gap between food waste and food need. Yesterday he was presented with a cake at Highgrove

There’s also a November 1997 image of the then Prince Charles with a young Prince Harry as father and son are seen smiling together as they recorded their handprints in concrete while on an official visit to South Africa.

Elsewhere, a 1998 snap of Charles with Princes William on the slopes in the Swiss ski resort of Klosters, a long-time faovourite of the royals, also appears.

The photobook-style montage opens with a blue-and-white front cover featuring a floral scene with bee imagery and the words ‘Happy Birthday Your Majesty’. 

Stirring classical music provides the soundtrack as the montage races through the decades. 

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