A new portrait of the King in uniform has been released. Unlike the previous picture, this time it has been more well-received, with many people finding it more appropriate. However, some viewers have noticed something unsettling in the image.
Taken in the Grand Corridor of Windsor Castle, the picture shows King Charles seated in his ceremonial dress, complete with medals, a sword, and decorations. The image’s release coincides with a tribute from Queen Camilla, who described the armed forces in a video message as a “source of inspiration, reassurance, and pride.”
The image of the King, taken in November last year by Hugo Burnand—a regular royal photographer who also took the official photos of the King’s coronation in 2023—is quite different from the one released just over a month ago.
On May 14, to mark the first anniversary of his coronation, King Charles III unveiled his first official portrait since that momentous day. This portrait, painted by artist Jonathan Yeo, depicts him in a red uniform.
However, the fiery color palette that the artist used has sparked mixed reactions. One person commented, “This is an awful painting. It doesn’t look cohesive with the face versus the rest of the painting. And that overwhelming red. It’s horrible.” Many others shared similar sentiments.
Compared to the red portrait, the new one is very different in colors and structure , and it has been happily welcomed by royal fans and people who saw it on the official Royal Family Instagram page. Someone commented, “Now that is a portrait! Much better than that red painting,” and another wrote, “A much better portrait of our Majesty The King.” Other commenters shared similar sentiments: “This portrait is 100% better than the red blob. That one is an embarrassment to be English,” and “That’s a way better portrait.”
However, some online users focused on the many medals displayed in the portrait, asking questions like, “What did The King do to receive all those medals?” and “What did this old man do to get all these medals?” Despite these questions, the new portrait better reflects King Charles’s work in the army and has been well-liked by many.
People didn’t really welcome the first portrait released by the royal family very well.
