KIRSY WIGGLESWORTH / AFP
The first official portrait of the British monarch, released on May 14, was targeted by activists on Tuesday, June 11.
We knew some Brits thought he was “creepy,” but at this point… The first official portrait of Charles III unveiled at Buckingham Palace on May 14 has left royal fans in doubt and even shocked. Some even went so far as to compare it to a “blood bath” due to the predominance of red in the painting. Let them rest, the portrait is gone, at least for now. On June 11, Daniel Juniper, 29, and Ben Thomas, 22, two members of Animal Rising, an animal rights movement, vandalized a portrait of King Charles that was on display at the Philip Mold Gallery in London. In the images published on the X account of the organization, we see how the face of the sovereign is covered with the image of the head of Gromit, the hero of the series. Wallace and Gromit, and paste the comic bubble. It says: “No Gromit cheese. Look at all this cruelty on RSPCA farms.
“Light Action”
This action follows a report published by Animal Rising on June 9. The move singles out 45 farms, all linked to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) guaranteed scheme for “cruelty and suffering” to animals. What does this have to do with Charles III? The King is a patron of the RSPCA, as was his mother, Queen Elizabeth, until her death. In a statement, Animal Rising described its act as “lighthearted,” explaining that it “played on the love of the king; Wallace and Gromit and about the RSPCA’s Royal Patron status. “Animal Rising has asked the King to stop supporting the charity until it withdraws from the Assured programme,” they also said. Like the throwing of soup on the Mona Lisa by environmental activists in Paris last January, the collage made by Daniel Juniper and Ben Thomas didn’t hurt the work. The group insists its banners have been hung “splash water on the back”. “They can be easily removed without damaging the paint”, they clarified. The information was confirmed by the owner of the gallery where the picture is displayed, who informed the channel. CNN: that the portrait protected by Plexiglas was not damaged. Too bad for those who hate him.
Source: Le Figaro
