King Charles III cuts a cake in the shape of the castle as he joins a celebratory reception marking Cyfarthfa Castle's 200th anniversary and the his birthday in Merthyr Tydfil, Wales. Photo / Getty Images
King Charles III cuts a cake in the shape of the castle as he joins a celebratory reception marking Cyfarthfa Castle's 200th anniversary and the his birthday in Merthyr Tydfil, Wales. Photo / Getty Images
The King has celebrated his 77th birthday with a cake in the shape of a castle.
He enjoyed a slice of birthday cake with Welsh celebrity guests at Cyfarthfa Castle, Wales, where he and the Queen attended an event to mark the castle’s 200th anniversary.
Guests at the reception sangHappy Birthday To You, using “Your Majesty” in place of his name, as he was presented with the cake bearing his CRIII cypher and ornate crown.
He was joined by high-profile Welsh guests including Ruth Jones, the Gavin & Stacey screenwriter and actor, and Julien Macdonald, the fashion designer.
The reception included representatives from the King and Queen’s patronages, such as The King’s Trust and the Royal Osteoporosis Society, and local businesses.
The King cut the cake before meeting members of the local community outside the castle grounds.
King Charles III takes the controls of a tram-train officially named Myddfai, with expert advice from driver, Bev Hannible, within the depot during a visit to Taff's Well Transport Depot. Photo / Getty Images
Cyfarthfa Castle was built in 1825 as the residence of ironmaster William Crawshay II. It is home to a museum and art gallery, and is surrounded by a 160-acre park.
Speaking about the King and Queen, Jones said: “I think they do so much great charity work, and I love what the Queen does for literacy and encouraging people to read and the King’s amazing work on environmental issues and his support of the arts.”
Despite running over their scheduled time at the castle, the King and Queen spent time shaking the hands of well-wishers. Crowds waited in the rain and wind outside the castle, near Merthyr Tydfil, to catch a glimpse of them.
There were shouts of “Happy birthday” and “Penblwydd Hapus, Your Majesty” as the King stopped to chat, accepting gifts from members of the crowd.
Queen Camilla also visited Cyfarthfa Primary School in Merthyr Tydfil to mark “Poetry Together Day”.
Later on Friday, the King took a turn driving a tram as he opened the South Wales Metro Depot in Taff’s Well, near Cardiff.
He was greeted with a sign reading “Penblwydd Hapus” (Happy Birthday) before being allowed to drive around 125m within the depot, waving at primary school children as he did so. He was hailed as “better than some” trainees.
He then met Transport for Wales staff who have worked to deliver the project.
Bev Hannible, 45, from Stockport, who taught the King to drive the tram, said: “He was quite keen to just get going. He said, ‘This is wonderful’. I did ask him if he’d driven a train before and he said, ‘Of course’.
“Obviously they have changed a lot, it’s all now computer screens really but he took instruction really well. I told him what was going to happen, I waited for the signal to turn and said away you go, and he took power and off we went.
“I said we’ve got some special little guests waiting for you and he gave them a wave,” she added.
Irranca-Davies, the deputy Welsh first minister, complimented the King’s “very smooth driving”, to which the monarch jokingly replied: “Flattery won’t get you everywhere.”
The day was also marked with a 62-gun salute fired by the Honourable Artillery Company from Tower Wharf and a 21-gun salute by a 206 (Ulster) Battery of the Royal Artillery from Hillsborough Castle.
Buckingham Palace released a new photograph to mark the occasion of the King’s birthday.
Taken by Millie Pilkington, it shows him dressed casually and in the grounds of Sandringham.
A message posted on social media read: “77 today! Thank you for the kind words and well wishes on His Majesty’s Birthday.”
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