King Charles looked delighted as he was presented with a special hand-knitted cake to mark ten years of his charity's textiles education programmes last month.
In newly released images, Charles, 75, was smiling ear-to-ear when the two-tier, woollen cake, complete with colourful, crafted decorations and knitted candles and piping, was presented to him in Ayrshire, Scotland.
The King's Foundation set up Future Textiles in 2014 after being inspired by Charles to address the skills gap in the UK textiles industry through education and training.
A decade later, and more than 7,000 people have benefited from its courses, with projects run in collaboration with high-profile brands and firms such as Chanel and Net-a-Porter.
Members of Knitwise, sessions run by Future Textiles to develop locally based high-skilled hand-knitters, presented the King with the unique celebratory cake at the charity's annual graduation event at its Dumfries House headquarters.
King Charles - pictured - smiles as he is presented with a special hand-knitted cake at Dumfries House
The anniversary was also marked by an exhibition at the Garrison Chapel in London, which regularly hosts showcases by Foundation students, with the cake on public display, alongside a range of garments made by alumni over the last 10 years.
Other Future Textiles projects include the 10-month, paid Modern Artisan initiative, which gives fashion and textile graduates the chance to design and make a sustainable, luxury line of outfits using heritage skills for the Yoox Net-A-Porter for The King's Foundation label.
Jacqueline Farrell, education director at The King's Foundation, said: 'Initially, Future Textiles benefitted secondary school age pupils by introducing them to the beauty of making and ensuring they understood the technical sewing and craft processes that are so vital to responsible fashion design and manufacturing.
'Due to the incredible support of the industry and our partners, the programme grew rapidly and now offers a huge range of courses ranging from day workshops and weekly community groups, to full-time courses which provide students with the skills needed to start their own businesses and gain employment in the industry.'
She added: 'We are proud to count among our graduates talented artisans now making their mark in the fashion industry as key practitioners for some of the world's best-known brands, and founders of businesses that promote sustainability through long-lasting, high-quality garments and products.'
After the success of the Future Textiles programme, The King's Foundation is now offering a private dining experience, allowing members of the public the opportunity to enjoy a three-course meal in the King's favourite room at Dumfries House.
Charles takes most of his evening meals in the Pink Dining Room while staying at the Scottish stately home in Ayrshire.
The room – with its pale rosy hue – is the best preserved in the mansion, which was saved for the nation in 2007 by a consortium led by Charles as the Prince of Wales.
King Charles grins from ear-to-ear while visiting Dumfries House in Ayrshire, Scotland - home to The King's Foundation's headquarters
The hand-knitted cake was made to celebrate ten years of the Future Textiles programme set up by The King's Foundation. The special gift was given to the Kingat the charity's annual graduation event at its Dumfries House headquarters
Guests will eat at the King's table - but not in the presence of the monarch - and be served by a traditional butler.
Menus will be based on 18th century dishes, such as poached salmon, fish soup, and manchet bread for starters, followed by roasted venison and beef, parmentier potatoes and a juniper sauce, and lemon and pistachio syllabub, bread and butter pudding, and apple and almond trifle for dessert.
Evan Samson, who leads the front of house team at Dumfries House, said: 'For a select number of guests, the 18th century dining experience will be authentic to the 1700s, with traditional butler service – including the meal being served "family-style" – and a menu researched and prepared by our chefs that reflects the culinary fashions typical of country houses in that age.'
The candlelit experience is available on selected dates and costs from £375 per person.
The origins of the grand room are outlined on the Foundation's website.
'Dining rooms were the hub of social life in the 18th century, so right from the start, it was more elaborately decorated than any other room in the house,' it says.
Evan Samson, who leads the front of house team at Dumfries House, puts the finishing touches to the Pink Dining Room where members of the public will be able to enjoy a feast
Menus will be based on 18th century dishes, such as bread and butter pudding, and apple and almond trifle for dessert
Dumfries House near Cumnock is the headquarters of The King's Foundation and was the setting for a meeting between King Charles and Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner last month
The King beamed and appeared in high spirits as he strolled across the grounds of Dumfries House last month
Also on offer, from August to October next year, are Harvest Lunches in the estate's Queen Elizabeth II Walled Garden at a cost of £105 per person.
Guests will be served produce grown in the education garden in the grounds, with dishes such as such as pan fried cod with onion puree and artichoke, followed by apple crumble and ice cream.
Dumfries House near Cumnock is the headquarters of The King's Foundation, which Charles established to train the next generation of skilled craftspeople – including in fashion and textiles – in heritage techniques essential to many traditional UK industries.
Last month Dumfries House was also the setting of a meeting between King Charles and Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner to discuss how to end youth violence in the UK.
King Charles met with representatives from the Scottish Violence Reduction Unit, The King's Foundation and The King's Trust for a round-table discussion to identify the root causes of violence.
During the meeting he was joined by the Deputy PM; and the pair appeared to be thick as thieves as the King appeared to have been left in fits of laughter by something Rayner had said.
