King Charles III recently appeared at the big reveal for his first royal portrait since ascending the throne, and boy does it have everyone seeing red, the King included.
Literally, that is. The portrait has gone viral for artist Jonathan Yeo's surprising (or downright shocking, depending on your interpretation) choice to bathe the King in red, as if he is staring out at us through a waterfall of blood or something.
It's a startling image—and the King himself seemed fittingly startled as well, as seen below.
King Charles reaction is all of us 😩💀 pic.twitter.com/C8lGTVT91m
— DEE 🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆 (@duchessofpoms) May 14, 2024
The King visibly jumped as he pulled the curtain off the painting for its big reveal, and naturally the internet went wild.
Any way you slice it, Yeo's painting is fascinating. It depicts the King in the red uniform of the Welsh Guards, the color of which fills the entire background of of the painting and even tints his face a bit.
Am I alone in thinking the King Charles portrait is actually pretty rad? It's fascinating, strange, & much more metal than any official royal portrait of a wildly uninteresting anachronism of a human being has a right to be. pic.twitter.com/DjV6890a7M
— Tony Tost (@tonytost) May 16, 2024
Of course, one way to interpret that is as a simple reference to the King's military service leveraged for an off-the-beaten path, even avant garde tribute.
My first reaction was “wtf”
But honestly, I’m digging King Charles’ portrait. The facial expression Yeo captured is incredible.
It’s weird. I love weird. pic.twitter.com/CxGWsK3yD4
— Meredith (@Mere_Constant) May 16, 2024
But... well, given a rather infamous incident between he and Queen Consort Camilla dubbed "Tampongate," the red color felt to many like a pointed choice.
Others also interpreted it as a reference to the bloody violence of British colonialism around the world.
Taken altogether, the King's very red portrait really has the internet talking... and laughing.
Wanted: painter for official portrait of His Majesty King Charles. Must have prior portrait experience, ability to make painting a portal into the nether realm and a conduit for millennia old evil non essential but desirable. pic.twitter.com/Muv7Yxh617
— Dr Philip Lee (@drphiliplee1) May 14, 2024
I don’t care what you say, this new portrait of King Charles is awesome pic.twitter.com/LD4YKz8eDB
— Casey Stegman (@cstegman) May 15, 2024
King Charles new portrait rings a bell... pic.twitter.com/mBImFbdtRi
— Lucie Fur (@Lucie_Fur99) May 14, 2024
Got the King Charles Deep Dish 👑🍕 pic.twitter.com/WH0QrgJICT
— 𝕯𝖎𝖑𝖉𝖔 𝕭𝖆𝖌𝖌𝖎𝖓𝖘 🎾💦 (@EmmaTolkin) May 15, 2024
When I accomplish one task while on my period pic.twitter.com/nuibhIfyZ4
— Betches News (@Betches_Sup) May 14, 2024
Awww he went for a portrait that depicts him being the tampon he so badly wanted to be for Camilla. 🩸 https://t.co/u2KgDWnfbd
— Kelechi (@kelechnekoff) May 14, 2024
It’s a little on the nose to paint your portrait with the blood of all those you colonized. https://t.co/qpnqKSQ3vR
— Lauren Walsh 🌱 Taking a Long Rest (@LaurenWalshArt) May 15, 2024
Whatever his intent, Yeo created a painting that has people talking and will never be forgotten.
@KeshaRose/X
