The first official painted portrait of King Charles III since his coronation has been unveiled at Buckingham Palace.
The vast oil on canvas shows a larger-than-life King Charles in the uniform of the Welsh Guards.
The vivid red work, measuring about 8ft 6in by 6ft 6in, is by Jonathan Yeo, who has also painted Tony Blair, Sir David Attenborough and Malala Yousafzai.
In the new portrait, the King is depicted, sword in hand, with a butterfly landing on his shoulder.
Unveilings are always a little nerve-wracking. Both for the sitter and the artist. But particularly when one of them is a King.
Yeo jokes: “If this was seen as treasonous, I could literally pay for it with my head.
Which would be an appropriate way for a portrait painter to die – to have their head removed!”
In reality, Yeo isn’t going to lose his head of course – no executions for a badly received portrait of a monarch, in modern times anyway.
People can’t help but seem to notice the odd things about this red portrait.
Here is how the general public perceived the new portrait!
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His website says the butterfly is a “visual contrast to the military steeliness of the uniform and sword.” Butterflies also symbolize rebirth and transformation, representing Charles’ transition into becoming king while the portrait was being created.
Do let us know how you perceived his new portrait.
