The UK has unveiled the first official portrait of King Charles III since his coronation in May last year.
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Reuters reports this today, May 14.
The portrait by artist Jonathan Yeo shows Charles against a vibrant red background, wearing the uniform of the Welsh Guards unit he was appointed Colonel of in 1975, with a sword in his hand and a butterfly over his shoulder.
The artwork reflects a key transformation in His Majesty’s life, marking a historic moment as the first official portrait since his coronation, Yeo, 53, who previously painted Charles’s late father, Prince Philip, said on his Facebook page.
The portrait, unveiled today at Buckingham Palace, was commissioned in 2020 to celebrate the then Prince of Wales’s 50th anniversary as a member of the Drapers’ Company in 2022, Buckingham Palace said.
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“When I started this project, His Majesty King was also his Royal Highness The Prince of Wales, and very much like butterfly I’re malted hovering over jeho shoulder, this portrét evolved as subject’s role in… pic.twitter.com/U289q8AlMh
– The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) May 14, 2024
The BBC notes that Yeo began painting the portrait of Charles III in June 2021. The king, leaning on the sword, posed four times for about an hour – the last time in November 2023.
According to the artist, this portrait, “like the butterfly I painted over her shoulder,” evolved as Charles’s role in public life changed.
Yeo noted that his goal was also to draw on the traditions of royal portraiture, but in a way that captured 21st-century monarchy and, above all, “convey the deep humanity” of Charles.
The oil painting measures 2.8m by 2.2m and is expected to be on display at Drapers’ Hall in the City of London – the financial district of the British capital – from the end of August.
Yeoh has also painted portraits of former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, British TV presenter David Attenborough and Oscar-winning actress Nicole Kidman.
Source: Reuters, BBC, Jonathan Yeo
Coronation of Charles III takes place in London (BROADCAST)
Source: Racurs
I am David Wyatt, a professional writer and journalist for Buna Times. I specialize in the world section of news coverage, where I bring to light stories and issues that affect us globally. As a graduate of Journalism, I have always had the passion to spread knowledge through writing.