Royal portraits, as a rule, tend to be fairly staid, predictable affairs.
Full of symbolism, sure, but generally symbolism of the traditional, establishment kind: symbols of state, of office, of pomp and lineage.
Which is why the new official portrait of King Charles III by Jonathan Yeo, the first since the king’s coronation, has created such a controversy.
A larger-than-life (7.5 foot-by-5.5 foot) canvas, the portrait shows the king standing in his Welsh Guards uniform, hands on the hilt of his sword, a half-smile on his face, with a butterfly hovering just over his right shoulder.
His entire body is bathed in a sea of crimson, so his face appears to be floating.
Persons:
King Charles III, Jonathan Yeo, —, Yeo
Organizations:
Welsh Guards, BBC