King Charles Was 'Surprised' By This Aspect Of His New Portrait, Artist Says
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King Charles’ first new portrait since his coronation has one aspect that was even “surprising” to the monarch himself.
Artist Jonathan Yeo, who was with the king for four sittings to complete the portrait, told BBC that Charles was able to see the painting in its “half-done state,” before it was officially unveiled on Tuesday at Buckingham Palace.
“He was initially mildly surprised by the strong color but otherwise he seemed to be smiling approvingly,” Yeo said in an interview published Tuesday.
The color is perhaps one of the most controversial aspects of the monarch’s new portrait, and has caused division among viewers.
In the portrait, the strong red background blends seamlessly with Charles’ red Welsh Guards uniform.
According to Yeo’s website, the choice was intentional, so that viewers focus less on Charles’ military regalia and more on the person in front of them.
Yeo also opened up about another distinctive part of the painting, which shows a butterfly over Charles’ right shoulder.
The British artist said that “in [the] history of art, the butterfly symbolizes metamorphosis and rebirth,” which he said he felt was fitting for a man who had just become king.
Yeo first began painting Charles in June 2021, when he was still the Prince of Wales. By the time the two finished their last sitting in November 2023, Charles had been king for over a year.
Yeo also revealed that the monarch himself came up with the idea of the butterfly.
“I said, ‘When schoolchildren are looking at this in 200 years and they’re looking at the who’s who of the monarchs, what clues can you give them?‘” Yeo told BBC. “He said ‘What about a butterfly landing on my shoulder?’”
Yeo added that the butterfly is also a reference to the king’s devotion to the environment, which “he has championed most of his life and certainly long before they became a mainstream conversation.”
The portrait was commissioned to mark Charles’ 50 years as a member of the Drapers’ Company, which was originally a trade association for wool merchants. The company now focuses on philanthropy.
