The first official portrait of King Charles III raised many questions among the British (3 photos + 1 video)

It seems that even the monarch was a little taken aback when he saw himself in crimson colors.





King Charles III of Britain was solemnly presented with his first official portrait, which not all of his subjects liked. The 2.56-meter-high canvas depicting the monarch surprised everyone with its unusualness. The work of British artist Jonathan Yeo is dominated by red colors, which is why the portrait does not evoke pleasant and calm emotions.

Some saw an ominous omen in these shades, while others decided that Charles III wanted to show his family connection with the Romanian Count Vlad Dracula (they are really relatives), or the artist simply dislikes the monarch a little, hinting in his painting at the bloody past of the colonial empire.

“A portrait in red: the color of the blood shed by oppressed peoples under the rule of the British monarchy and its colonial past,” is one of the popular comments from a user on social networks.

The king’s reaction was also excellent; he quickly turned away from the portrait. Apparently, I also expected to see something more traditional

As for the artist, he explained that the red colors give the painting a modern look and they match the color of the Welsh Guard uniform in which the king appears in the painting. Jonathan Yeo didn't want the monarch's red colonel's uniform to distract the viewer from his face, so he decided to fill the entire canvas with red.

The monarch butterfly that hovers over Charles III's right shoulder, according to the artist, symbolizes metamorphosis and pays tribute to the king's commitment to beauty and environmental concern.

"In the context of art history, the butterfly is often a symbol of metamorphosis and rebirth, and thus it also corresponds to the transformation of the king from prince to monarch during the period of the portrait. When I began this project, His Majesty the King was still His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales. and, like the butterfly I painted hovering over his shoulder, this portrait evolved as Charles III’s role in our public life changed,” the portraitist explained.



“Sorry, but his portrait looks like he’s in hell,” “It’s like he’s bathing in blood,” “No offense, but this is the worst royal portrait I’ve ever seen,” “I don’t think the artist is his fan,” “I don’t understand why everything is red,” the British write in the comments

It is noted that the painting was ordered for Charles III back in 2020, that is, two years before his coronation. The artist worked on it from June 2021 to November 2023. Briton Jonathan Yeo is considered the most sought-after portrait artist in the world. He painted portraits for many Western celebrities.



Jonathan Yeo and his creation