A large oil study for King Charles III’s controversial first official portrait has been unveiled at Buckingham Palace as part of a significant transformation of the Picture Gallery on May 2023. This gallery, one of the palace’s most frequented semi-public spaces, now features 120 paintings, nearly double the previous 63.
The revamp included replacing the coral velvet wall hangings with elegant green silk damask and enhancing the gallery’s lighting. While many visitors will be drawn to the Old Master paintings from the Royal Collection, such as works by Titian, Vermeer, and Caravaggio, others are eager to catch a glimpse of the study for Jonathan Yeo’s portrait of the King, currently displayed in the Silk Tapestry Room.
Details on King Charles III's Portrait
Despite facing nearly universal criticism, King Charles appears unbothered by the backlash, as the Royal Collection has accepted Yeo’s gift of the large study. This artwork, similar in stature to the finished painting standing at seven and a half feet tall, depicts the King head-on, dressed in a Welsh Guards uniform, with his hands clasped over a sword.
The background of the study features a more textured and brushy style, showcasing swaths of pink, orange, and violet, in contrast to the monochromatic blood-red tone of the official painting. Notably, a butterfly hovers just above the King’s right shoulder in this study.
