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In celebration of his first full year on the throne, King Charles has unveiled his first portrait since the coronation – however fans have been divided over the unique art style, with one saying ‘what in the fiery depths of hell is this’
One year on since King Charles was formally crowned, the monarch has unveiled a striking portrait of himself to mark the historic occasion. The eye catching painting, which was completed by leading contemporary artist Jonathan Yeo, was officially unveiled on Tuesday (May 14) and marked a stark change from the more traditional royal portraits of previous years.
But it’s caused quite the stir online. Taking to social media to weigh in on the portrait, one user wrote: “So, King Charles unveiled the first official portrait of himself today. Hmm. Is it just me, or is there a kind of sinister look about it?”
The impressive artwork is almost entirely red, with the colour chosen in particular to honour the bright red tunic of the Welsh Guards. Originally, the image was commissioned in in 2020 to celebrate the then Prince of Wales’s 50 years as a member of The Drapers’ Company two years hence.
However, following the death of the Queen in 2022 it soon took on an entirely new significance, as it was now represented the King following his accession to the throne. In a fitting homage to Charles’ transition to the new head of state, the portrait also features a Monarch butterfly resting on the King’s shoulder, something that it turns out had actually been suggested by the royal himself!
Yet it appears even the poignant detail isn’t enough to sway members of the public, with many sceptical and critical of the design. Taking to social media to weigh in on the portrait, one user wrote: “So, King Charles unveiled the first official portrait of himself today. Hmm. Is it just me, or is there a kind of sinister look about it?”
A second user then added: “A portrait of #KingCharles in red: the colour of the blood shed by oppressed peoples under the boot of the British monarchy and its colonial legacy.”
Before a third user commented: “What in the fiery depths of hell is this monstrosity? Is #KingCharles announcing he’s an Antichrist?”
A fourth user even felt that the portrait bore a striking semblance to Star Wars ’ Han Solo after he was encased in carbonite! Without holding back, the user quipped: “C3PO: Oh. They’ve encased him in Carbonite. He should remain the monarch for a very long time then. If he survived the freezing process, that is.”
In keeping with the Hollywood theme, another member of the public felt it had a closer similarity to Vigo the Carpathian, the subject of a haunted paining in Ghostbusters II! Sharing a still from the fill, they wrote: “Why does the new King Charles portrait remind me of this icon from Ghostbusters??.”
Not everyone disliked it however, as several fans also praised the artwork and applauded the move to introduce something new and modern into the mix. One fan of the painting wrote: “Simply stunning. Here’s the new portrait of #OurKing which captures HM’s gentle and caring soul. Simply stunning, really.”
Meanwhile a second echoed: “I simply love this new portrait of #OurKing by @RealJonathanYeo and commissioned by #TheDrapersCompany,” alongside a string of heart emojis.
A third fan then added: “I like this portrait of #KingCharles, the colour is rich and the image of him somewhat quirky. And the butterfly? An image of transience and vulnerability (as well as a probable nod in the direction of his life-long commitment to the environment)?”
Before a fourth fan commented: “I really like the portrait of King Charles by Jonathan Yeo – the go-to artist for slightly edgy but convincingly recognisable contemporary portraits; before photography, to have a great painter capture your real appearance you accepted the revelation of your flaws and your mortality. It’s what Yeo captures here.”
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