The first official portrait of King Charles III, painted by artist Jonathan Yeo, has stirred up mixed reactions on social media. Commissioned in 2020 to commemorate the Prince of Wales’s 50 years as a member of the Drapers’ Company, the portrait was unveiled earlier than planned in 2022. It features a striking sea-of-pink composition that has divided opinions online.
Yeo jokingly commented to the BBC about the possibility of facing consequences for the portrait’s controversial look, saying, “If this was seen as treasonous, I could literally pay for it with my head, which would be an appropriate way for a portrait painter to die — to have their head removed!”
The Guardian gave the painting a scathing one-star review, describing it as a “pinkish psychedelic splurge” and “a formulaic bit of facile flattery.” Some social media users compared the portrait to characters from Ghostbusters 2 and Arrested Development, mocking its unusual color scheme.
The palace’s Instagram post about the portrait garnered a wide range of reactions, with some criticizing the king’s portrayal and likening it to various pop culture references. Despite the backlash, Yeo has a history of painting high-profile portraits, including Queen Camila, Prince Philip, Tony Blair, Rupert Murdoch, and Damien Hirst.
In an interview with the BBC, Yeo expressed his interest in capturing the essence of his subjects on canvas, blending their quirks and personality traits with a sense of mysticism and magic. Despite the controversy surrounding the portrait, Yeo remains dedicated to his craft of portraying real people in a unique light.
