Less than 3% of hospitals have applied for their free picture of King Charles

LESS than three per cent of hospitals have applied for their free picture of King Charles.

Just 40 out of 1,454 took up the offer for a portrait to replace any they had of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II.

Only two in Scotland asked for one — but none in Wales or Northern Ireland did.

In all, 30 per cent of all public bodies asked for one, Cabinet Office data showed.

While 82.7 per cent of government departments and local authorities in England applied, only 15.6 per cent of equivalent bodies in Wales did.

Less than a third of schools applied for the framed photo of the King in a Royal Navy uniform. And just 35 out of the UK’s 475 universities — or 7.4 per cent — wanted one.

When the scheme was announced, then Deputy PM Oliver Dowden said they would serve as a “reminder of the example set by our ultimate public servant”.

More than 20,500 framed photos were sent out in September.

They cost the taxpayer about £2.7million — with the typical picture costing £132.