Fiery New King Charles Portrait Revealed—and the Monarch Jumped Back as He Unveiled It

If singer Alicia Keys attended the unveiling for King Charles’s new portrait, I can picture her saying, “This king is on fireeeeee.”

Today, His Majesty unveiled the first official portrait of himself since being crowned as king at last year’s coronation ceremony at Buckingham Palace. An array of photos and videos taken at the event were shared on the royal family’s official Instagram account. 

The first slide showcases the fierce body of work, which took U.K. artist Jonathan Yeo over three years to paint (according to the palace), and the 75-year-old monarch is donning a traditional Welsh Guards uniform while standing against a blazing red background. FYI, King Charles was appointed as the Regimental Colonel in 1975.

Meanwhile, the second slide includes a video of the monarch unveiling the new painting to the world. As he removes the black tarp covering the fiery portrait, His Royal Highness jumps back from the art piece, as if he was almost taken aback by its striking appearance. But royally obsessed fans (like myself) were given an even bigger surprise in the next couple of slides, which features two (yes, two) portraits of Queen Camilla and the king’s late father, Prince Philip, who passed away in April 2021.

The caption of the post includes a personal statement written by artist Jonathan Yeo, which reads: “It was a privilege and pleasure to have been commissioned by The Drapers’ Company to paint this portrait of His Majesty The King, the first to be unveiled since his Coronation. 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.”