King Charles' 'deep humanity' on show in fiery new portrait

The large portrait, standing at 2.8 metres by 2.2 metres, shows the King in his Welsh Guards military uniform while leaning on a sword in fiery shades of red.

"I appreciate the attempt at something unconventional, but this new King Charles portrait looks like the poster for a truly nightmarish horror movie," one social media user said.

But the King and Queen Consort are fans of the painting with artist Jonathan Yeo saying even the late Elizabeth II gave her nod of approval.

"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," Mr Yeo said.

The artist, who had four hour-long sittings with the King, said he minimised distractions in the painting to "allow people to connect with the human being underneath".

"My aim was also to make reference to the traditions of royal portraiture but in a way that reflects a 21st-century monarchy and, above all else, to communicate the subject's deep humanity," he said.

"All my life I'd known who he was and what he looked like so it was really just a case of deciding what to show and trying to slightly channel who he seems to be now."

The 53-year-old artist has previously painted portraits for the King's wife and late father as well as Tony Blair, Sir David Attenborough, Kevin Spacey, Dennis Hopper and Malala Yousafzai.

A butterfly has been included in the portrait symbolising "metamorphosis and rebirth", Mr Yeo said.

"I said, when schoolchildren are looking at this in 200 years and they're looking at the who's who of the monarchs, what clues can you give them?"

"He said 'what about a butterfly landing on my shoulder?'"

"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," Mr Yeo said.

The painting, commissioned in 2020 to celebrate King Charles' 50 years as a member of The Drapers' Company, will hang in London's Drapers' Hall.