King Charles’ Official Portrait: Coronation Painting Meaning

King Charles III was on hand at Buckingham Palace to unveil his first official portrait on May 14. The painting – the first of the king released since his May 2023 coronation – was revealed to the public via the family’s X (formerly known as Twitter) account, their post including a video of King Charles pulling the black covering away from the frame. The portrait’s striking red hue and modern interpretation sparked conversation among royal watchers, with one writing on X that they would have “never guessed that to be King Charles.”

No offense but that is a very grim portrait.
— Clairina Paquette (@ClairinaPaq) May 14, 2024

Another critic chimed in, saying the portrait had “an intensely ominous vibe to it,” while fans called it “outstanding” and an “excellent” display.

Those who understand art know that this portrait is near perfection. So many hidden messages too.

Image is not for shallow thinkers.

Excellent portrait of His Majesty The King. @RealJonathanYeo
— Queer Lips of Truth (@einstein_evans) May 14, 2024

Read on to find out more about the portrait and its symbolism, the artist, and more.

King Charles’ first official portrait was vandalized

Roughly three weeks after its unveiling, King Charles’ portrait was vandalized by animal rights activists. A group called Animal Rising went to the Philip Mould Gallery on June 11 and placed a picture of the character Wallace from the Wallace and Gromit cartoon series over the royal’s head. The activists additionally included a speech bubble pasted onto the painting which read, “No cheese, Gromit. Look at all this cruelty on RSPCA farms!”

The group shared a video of the individuals responsible for the vandalism, highlighting Animal Rising’s investigation into animal husbandry rule violations at farms approved by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. The vandalism is one of many that has hit U.K. galleries and museums in the name of causation justice. Thanks to a sheet of plastic over the canvas, the actual painting of King Charles was not damaged.

The RSPCA responded to the campaign in a statement, noting through a spokesperson, “We are shocked by this vandalism of His Majesty King, our Patron’s, portrait. We welcome scrutiny of our work, but we cannot condone illegal activity of any kind.”

Animal Rising has maintained its position and continues to share content regarding the portrait vandalism as of publication.

King Charles’ first official portrait’s meaning and Commonwealth hints

The first official portrait of King Charles measures 8’6’’ by 6’6’’, and every inch of the canvas conveys meaning and hints about the Commonwealth and the monarchy. Perhaps the most striking component of the painting is the clothing King Charles is wearing – the choice to capture the monarch in the bright red uniform of the Welsh Guards is a nod to his decades-long work as the Prince of Wales and his British heritage.

Including his figure from the mid-leg up, the portrait shows King Charles with his hands comfortably sitting atop a Wealth Guard sword, often considered a symbol of British military excellence. The monarch’s collection of medals is also featured across his torso, including those he has been bestowed as a high-ranking member of such orders as the Order of the Garter, the Order of Merit, and the Order of the Thistle.

Only a single additional subject is included in King Charles’ portrait: a small monarch butterfly, hovering above his right shoulder. Believed to be named by King William III of England, the monarch is symbolic of Charles’ reign as well as his dedication to environmental causes, as the species of butterfly is one of the most impacted by climate change.

🦋 The artist said of the experience of painting The King:

“When I started this project, His Majesty The King was still His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales, and much like the butterfly I've painted hovering over his shoulder, this portrait has evolved as the subject's role in… pic.twitter.com/U289q8AlMh
— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) May 14, 2024

Unlike previous royal portraits that capture subjects in classic illustrations, King Charles’ likeness and Welsh red uniform bleeds into the canvas, an intentional artistic choice by the painter, British artist Jonathan Yeo.

“As a portrait artist, you get this unique opportunity to spend time with and get to know a subject, so I wanted to minimize the visual distractions and allow people to connect with the human being underneath,” Yeo explained on his website of his symbolic artistic choice.

Learn more about the artist who painted King Charles’ official portrait

Yeo, the artist behind King Charles’ first official painting as monarch, is known for his portraiture work capturing the royal family. Painting the late Duke of Edinburgh in 2008 and Queen Camilla in 2014, Yeo approached King Charles’ portrait with an open mind, allowing the project to change alongside the royal. In total, the king sat with Yeo four times in hour-long sessions.

“When I started this project, His Majesty The King was still His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales, and much like the butterfly I’ve painted hovering over his shoulder, this portrait has evolved as the subject’s role in our public life has transformed,” Yeo said amid the portrait’s unveiling. “I do my best to capture the life experiences and humanity etched into any individual sitter’s face, and I hope that is what I have achieved in this portrait,” he continued. “To try and capture that for His Majesty The King, who occupies such a unique role, was both a tremendous professional challenge, and one which I thoroughly enjoyed and am immensely grateful for.”

Additional subjects of Yeo’s portraiture work have ranged from actresses like Nicole Kidman and Kristin Scott Thomas to British politicians such as Tony Blair and Charles Kennedy. Yeo is the son of former British political figure Tim Yeo, and lives in London with his wife and two daughters.

King Charles’ official portrait will be on display

Royal watchers and fans of King Charles will be able to view his official portrait at Drapers’ Hall in London. The painting was commissioned by the Drapers’ Company, a livery company in the City of London, and will be displayed among other works depicting royal family members.