His business in this case is to use his milestone birthday in his Coronation year to launch a scheme to support the nation”s neediest during the cost-of-living crisis.

The King, who turns 75 on Tuesday, will celebrate his personal landmark with a low-key private party, thought to be at Clarence House, for a small number of his family and, primarily, his friends.

But in public, he will mark his big day by attending two official engagements. He and Queen Camilla will officially launch the Coronation Food Project, aiming to distribute surplus food destined for landfills to those in need, at an event outside London and then later he will host a Buckingham Palace reception for nurses and midwives celebrating the NHS’s 75th birthday.

A royal source said: “His Majesty wants the day to be about shining a light on other people and other causes rather than on himself.”

Charles, who wants to work with farmers, supermarkets and others to cut food waste in all corners of the UK, posed for the fashion and portrait photographer Rankin for a cover picture on The Big Issue heralding his Coronation Food Project.

In part of a 400-word piece he wrote for the magazine, which is sold on the streets by homeless people to give them a living, the monarch said: “Food need is as real and urgent a problem as food waste – and if a way could be found to bridge the gap between them, then it would address two problems in one.

“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.”

The Big Issue also spoke to Baroness Casey and Dame Martina Milburn, co-chairwomen of The Coronation Food Project, for an article to appear on Monday outlining food insecurity across the UK and organisations supporting those in need.

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Amid controversy over Home Secretary Suella Braverman’s description of homelessness as “a lifestyle choice” and Conservative Party deputy chairman Lee Anderson’s scepticism over food poverty, palace officials were quick to point out that The King’s birthday project has the support of all the main political parties.

It is understood that Lady Casey, a Government social welfare advisor, spoke to them to ensure they were all on board.

For Rankin, a celebrated glossy photographer, the chance to photograph King Charles for The Big Issue at a shoot in the Clarence House gardens in October came despite his decision to turn the opportunity down before Charles became King.

The 57-year-old Glasgow-born photographer, whose full name is John Rankin Waddell, pictured Queen Elizabeth II in 2001 as part of a project for her Golden Jubilee in 2002 and has done photoshoots of everyone from David Bowie to Mick Jagger, Michael Jackson, Sir Tony Blair, and Madonna during a highly successful career.

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But in a series of interviews earlier this year, he revealed that he had previously turned down the then Prince Charles.

“I was asked to photograph him for The Big Issue but the dates didn’t work out,” he told one website. “I was also a bit reluctant, I wasn’t sure. But I’ve since kicked myself.”

He told ITV’s Lorraine that he was partly reluctant because he was thinking it was part of being Scottish and cool.

“And so because I’m Scottish it was like I’m not sure if my mum and dad would like it,” he said.

“And then the minute I put the phone down I said: ‘No!’ You should never say no, you should always say yes.”

The Big Issue article also showcases the official emblem of the Coronation Food Project. It was created by iPhone designer Sir Jony Ive and his creative collective LoveFrom.

An animation featuring The Coronation Food Project will also be displayed for 10 minutes in Piccadilly Circus in London and at similar sites across Britain at 5.30pm on the King’s birthday.

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