King Charles to feature on cover of Big Issue for 75th birthday

King Charles will grace the cover of the Big Issue, a magazine sold by homeless and vulnerable individuals, to mark his 75th birthday on November 14. His appearance on the cover aims to draw attention to the pressing issues of food insecurity and wastage.

Charles has also authored an article for the magazine about the importance of finding ways to bridge the gap between food waste and food needs, it said on Friday (10).

The piece will highlight the Coronation Food Project, an initiative that will be officially launched by Charles on his birthday to tackle food insecurity and waste.

Highlighting the concept of a public service monarchy, the food project is set to play a significant role in the King's birthday festivities.

The initiative aims to combat both the increasing issue of food insecurity for those in need and the widespread wastage of perfectly good food, the BBC reported.

"If a way could be found to bridge the gap between them, then it would address two problems in one," the King tells the Big Issue, in an edition that will be published on Monday (13).

"It is my great hope that this Coronation Food Project will find practical ways to do just that - rescuing more surplus food, and distributing it to those who need it most."

Renowned British photographer Rankin took the monarch's picture for the cover, a black-and-white portrait showing Charles looking at the camera and smiling.

"With every picture, you're always drawn to different aspects of a personality," Rankin, who also photographed the king's late mother Queen Elizabeth in 2001 to mark her Golden Jubilee, said of Charles' picture.

"I've always thought that he's a very resilient human being. I think that's what I got from him, that kind of steely determination."

Charles' son and heir Prince William appeared on the cover of the Big Issue when he turned 40 last year and was also seen selling the magazine on the streets of London.

The Big Issue's editor, Paul McNamee, said Charles and the royal family's support for the weekly went back decades and that the magazine backed the monarch's Coronation Food Project.

"The cover comes at a key moment, when vendors face a tough winter," McNamee said. "This will hopefully boost their sales, which is at the heart of why we exist."

(With inputs from Reuters)