King Charles
Flame portrait of the British monarch causes ridicule
King Charles III at the unveiling of his portrait by artist Jonathan Yeo (l.).
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The first official portrait of King Charles III. is causing a stir on social media.
At an official meeting on Tuesday, May 14th, King Charles III. (75) unveiled his first official portrait as king at Buckingham Palace in London. It is the first painting of the British monarch that he has presented since his coronation on May 6, 2023. as the Daily Mail reports.
The work by British artist Jonathan Yeo (53) was commissioned in 2020 to celebrate the then Prince of Wales’s 50th anniversary as a member of the Draper’s Company, a centuries-old association of merchants that is now dedicated to charitable causes.
King Charles wants personal detail
The portrait shows the British monarch in the uniform of the Welsh Guards, of which the now 75-year-old was appointed regimental colonel in 1975. Apart from the king’s face and hands, the painting appears to be covered in fiery red flames.
As the “Daily Mail” further reports, Yeo added a small detail to the painting at the monarch’s request: There is a small butterfly over the king’s right shoulder, which is intended to reflect the “metamorphosis” of the Prince of Wales into king. King Charles is said to have joked that it was nice to know that he was a butterfly cocoon.
“Looks like he’s bathing in blood”
As the “BBC” reportsKing Charles initially saw the painting in a “half-finished state” and was surprised “by the strong colors” before the monarch gave his approval.
The royal fans also seem to be surprised by the strong colors. Below a post about Charles’ painting on the Royal Family’s official Instagram account, the comments on the portrait are increasing. “I’m sorry, but his portrait looks like he’s in hell,” writes one user under the post about the monarch’s painting. Another fan of the royal family thinks that King Charles looks “like he’s bathing in blood.” Other users also think it is “the worst royal portrait.”
The portrait of the 75-year-old monarch will be exhibited at the Philip Mold Gallery in London from May 16th to June 14th.