King Charles III Looks Startled by His First Official Portrait of His Reign & We Don't Blame Him

King Charles III had his first official portrait since taking the throne unveiled on Tuesday, and boy, did it cause an internet fuss. The painting, commissioned in 2020 and created by artist Jonathan Yeo, has an incredibly dramatic look at the monarch — and we are not sure Charles really liked it.

A majority of the portrait, outside of the king’s face, is done in fiery reds with bold strokes that elicit quite a bit of drama. As King Charles took the black curtain off with a flourish, he looked rather shocked at the man staring back at him. Was he startled by the fabric cascading down or did the painting itself give him a jump scare? Yeo admitted to BBC that during their four sittings, Charles was a bit hesitant about the color palette. “He was initially mildly surprised by the strong color but otherwise he seemed to be smiling approvingly,” the artist shared with the British media outlet while pointing out that Queen Camilla told him, “Yes, you’ve got him.”

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X users weren’t as thrilled by the bold depiction of the king with one social media user warning, “I just see lots of blood🩸 I hope that’s not an omen.” Another account chimed in with their opinion, “It looks incredibly creepy. If he wasn’t a King, it probably wouldn’t seem as ominous.” There is quite a bit of meaning and symbolism behind the oil-on-canvas painting, though. Yeo noted that the military uniform and the sword are a nod to royal traditions of the past while the butterfly symbolizes change. “In the history of art, the butterfly symbolizes metamorphosis and rebirth,” the artist said about the changing of the guard after the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

The unveiling comes at a pivotal time for the royal family, who has faced unimaginable challenges in King Charles’ first year on the throne. With cancer battles, Prince Andrew’s controversies, and the ongoing family feud, he is reportedly looking to add more “glamour” to the royal roster over the summer. Charles might be calling up Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie to step in for several engagements on the busy seasonal schedule. ‘Charles is listening to his public,” a Daily Mail source explained. “They have been crying out for that royal glamour that has been missing during a time when his slimmed-down monarchy is in desperate need of bulking up.”

The hope is that the royal family will have a greater public presence in the coming months after regrouping behind the scenes. For any visitors hoping to catch a glimpse of King Charles, they can view the portrait at the Philip Mould Gallery in London from May 16 to June 14 and then at Drapers’ Hall through the end of August.

Before you go, click here to find out which tell-all books expose major royal family secrets.

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