A king-sized portrait of Charles III is to hang in the Mayor’s Parlour, after a generous donation from a Bolton business owner.
Following his coronation, the government offered councils and public bodies across the UK a free framed A3-sized portrait of the new monarch to display.
To complement this, Chris Houghton, of Houghton Investments Ltd, has now gifted the people of Bolton with an enlarged version of the official portrait.
The larger size makes the painting an ideal fit to replace the portrait of Queen Elizabeth II which currently hangs over the grand fireplace in the Mayor’s Parlour in Bolton Town Hall.
The Queen’s portrait will be relocated and displayed elsewhere in the Grade II listed building.
The Mayor of Bolton, Cllr Andy Morgan, said:
“This is an incredibly generous donation from Chris, and I am delighted we now have a portrait befitting the importance of the monarch to our borough.
“The town hall, and the Mayor’s Parlour, belong to the people of Bolton and this gift is a welcome addition to the many items that represent our rich history and civic pride.
“We regularly welcome local schools, charities, community groups and members of the public to the parlour, where they will now be greeted by a portrait fit for a king.”