HomeCulturalKing Charles III unveils his first official portrait as king… and social media had a lot to say about it
King Charles III unveils his first official portrait as king… and social media had a lot to say about it
May 18, 2024
King Charles III has unveiled his first official portrait as king during a ceremony at Buckingham Palace… and social media has had PLENTY to say about it.Portraits carry a huge significance for the reigning monarchs of the UK Royal Family. Read More
We can all picture those of Henry VIII or Queen Victoria or even the late Queen Elizabeth II – standing in a dignified manner with a facial expression that oozes both nobility and power, all while dressed in their royal robes.
However, it looks like artist Jonathan Yeo wanted to go for a more modern twist on the royal portrait.
The vivid oil painting measures approximately 8ft 6in by 6ft 6in, and shows King Charles in the uniform of the Welsh Guards, posing with his sword as a butterfly lands on his shoulder.
Oh, and Yeo must have had a spare pot of red paint, as the thing is SMOTHERED in it.
King Charles III first official portrait as king. Credit: X/The Royal Family
An announcement on the official UK Royal Family X page read: “Today, The King unveiled a new portrait by @RealJonathanYeo at Buckingham Palace.
“The painting – commissioned by The Draper’s Company – is the first official portrait to be completed since His Majesty’s Coronation. It will hang in Draper’s Hall in London.”
After being unveiled, it wasn’t long before social media users on the platform shared their thoughts… and they were certainly a mixed bag, to say the least. Here they are:
One person just replied: “It’s a bit… red.”
“Absolutely hideous,” a second added. “How on earth does the Palace allow such a terrible official portrait to be approved like this?”
A third wrote: “Not good at all. he looks like he’s in the midst of mt. doom….and the gray reminds me of striped pajamas […] these are about as undignified as you can get.”
“That’s a solid no from me,” another X user typed. “Straight to the attic.”
Regarding the red, some people thoughts the painting looked “Satanic”, with others saying it looked like King Charles was “covered in blood” or “burning in hell”.
But perhaps the most accurate tweet of all read: “The conspiracy theorists are going to have a field day with this”.
However, according to BBC News, Queen Camilla is reportedly a fan of the portrait, as she supposedly looked at it and told the artist: Yes, you’ve got him.”
Yeo has painted several prestigious figures in modern history, such as former UK PM Tony Blair, Malala Yousafzai, and, perhaps the most important of all, Sir David Attenborough.
Speaking of his new portrait and its unveiling, Yeo joked: “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!”
He added: “When I started this project, His Majesty The King was still His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales, and much like the butterfly I’ve painted hovering over his shoulder, this portrait has evolved as the subject’s role in our public life has transformed.”
You certainly wouldn’t miss it hanging in the hallway on your way to get a glass of water in the middle of the night.
